# Imposter Game > Play the Imposter party word game right in your browser — pass one phone around or join on everyone's phone with a game code. Everyone gets the secret word except the imposter; more than 3,000 words in 24 categories, optional hints, and a discussion timer. - Page: https://linguaholic.com/games/imposter-game/ - Type: free browser game, no sign-up, runs in the browser - Publisher: Linguaholic (https://linguaholic.com/), made by Marcel Iseli - Last updated: October 2, 2026 - Open it pre-filled: https://linguaholic.com/games/imposter-game/?players=6&imposters=1&hint=word&category=animals,food - `players`: number of players, 3-20 (clamped) (for example `6`) - `imposters`: number of imposters, 1-3 (clamped to what the player count allows) (for example `1`) - `hint`: hint for the imposter: none, category, or word (category + related word) (for example `word`) - `category`: comma-separated category keys to play with (animals, food, places, jobs, sports, home, school, clothes, transport, nature, hobbies, celebrations, countries, landmarks, music, tech, fantasy, body, science, games, actions, funny, movies, abstract) (for example `animals,food`) - `mode`: one (one phone), many (everyone's phone), join (join a game) (for example `many`) ## What is the Imposter game? The **Imposter game** is a quick party word game for 3 to 20 players. Everyone gets the same secret word — except the **imposter**, who doesn’t know it. Players take turns giving one-word clues, then discuss and vote on who they think is faking it. The group has to catch the imposter without giving the word away; the imposter has to blend in and work out the word from everyone else’s clues. You don’t need cards, paper, or an app. This page picks the word and the imposter at random and shows each player their secret card — on **one phone passed around the group**, or on **everyone’s own phone** with a shared game code. ## How to play the Imposter game 1. **Set up.** Choose the number of players and imposters, the hint for the imposter, and which categories to play with. 2. **Get your cards.** Each player secretly looks at their card. Most players see the secret word and its category; the imposter sees “You’re the imposter!” — plus a hint if you turned hints on. 3. **Give clues.** Starting with the player the game picks, everyone says one word (or a very short clue) related to the secret word. Go around once or twice. 4. **Discuss and vote.** Use the timer, talk it over, then point at the player you think is the imposter on the count of three. 5. **Reveal.** Tap *Reveal the imposter*. If the group caught the imposter, the imposter gets one last chance: guess the secret word to steal the win. ### Who wins? - **The group wins** if they vote out the imposter and the imposter can’t guess the word. - **The imposter wins** if they avoid being voted out — or if they’re caught but correctly guess the secret word. For a longer game, keep score: 1 point to every player when the group wins, 2 points to the imposter when the imposter wins. First to 10 points takes the crown. ## Frequently asked questions **How do you play the Imposter game?** Everyone gets the same secret word except the imposter, who only learns that they are the imposter (and, if you like, gets a hint). Players take turns saying one word or a short clue about the secret word. Then everyone discusses and votes on who the imposter is. The group wins if they catch the imposter; the imposter wins if they escape — or if they correctly guess the secret word after being caught. **Can I play the Imposter game online on several phones?** Yes. Choose Everyone's phone, set up the game, and share the 12-character game code. Each player opens this page, taps Join a game, enters the code, and picks their own player number. Every phone shows the right card, with no accounts and no app needed. Tap Next round together to keep playing. **Can we play with just one phone?** Yes. Choose One phone, enter the number of players (and names if you like), and pass the phone around. Each player taps to see their word, then hides it and passes it on. When everyone has seen their card, the app says who goes first and can reveal the imposter at the end. **What hint does the imposter get?** You choose: no hint at all (hardest), the category of the secret word, or the category plus a related word — for example cheese when the word is pizza. Hints make the game easier for the imposter and are great for kids and new players. **How many imposters should there be?** One imposter works best for 3 to 7 players. With 8 to 12 players, two imposters keep the game exciting, and with larger groups you can use three. The game allows up to three imposters and up to 20 players. **What are good words for the Imposter game?** The best words are well known but not too obvious from a single clue — like pizza, lighthouse, dentist, or volcano. The game has more than 3,000 hand-picked words in 24 categories — including animals, food, places, jobs, sports, movies and TV, funny & silly, and a hard mode with abstract ideas — and you can switch categories on or off or use the Kids, Party, Travel, and Hard mode quick picks. **Is the Imposter game free?** Yes. It is completely free with no sign-up and no app to install. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent anywhere. ## Related tools - [Imposter Game Word Generator](https://linguaholic.com/tools/imposter-game-word-generator/): Generate random secret words for the Imposter game — more than 3,000 hand-picked words in 24 categories, from animals and food to funny, movies, and hard mode, each with a related hint word for the imposter — plus the complete word list. - [Hangman](https://linguaholic.com/games/hangman/): Play the classic word-guessing game in your browser: tens of thousands of family-friendly dictionary words from easy to expert, 48 categories, famous phrases, a 2-player secret-word mode, hints, and a score streak. - [Categories Game](https://linguaholic.com/games/categories-game/): Play the classic categories word game online: a random letter, a list of categories, and a timer — on one screen with a scoreboard or on everyone's phone with a game code — plus a random category generator with 700+ original categories. - [Binary Game](https://linguaholic.com/games/binary-game/): Learn binary by playing: flip bit cards to make a number, read and write binary, race a 60-second challenge and build streaks, across five levels from 4 to 8 bits. - [Never Have I Ever](https://linguaholic.com/games/never-have-i-ever/): Play Never Have I Ever online with more than 1,000 original, clean statements in 13 categories — funny, friends, teens, kids and family, travel, food, juicy but clean, and more — with a group fingers game and a solo score. - [Truth or Dare](https://linguaholic.com/games/truth-or-dare/): Play Truth or Dare online with more than 1,000 original truths and dares — for couples, friends, adults, teens, kids, families, crushes, sleepovers, work, and over text — with player turns, random spins, and the full list to browse.