Someone at the table is about to claim that a nib is a sandwich cut into extremely small triangles. Keep a straight face. In this game, the wildest definition only works if somebody believes it.
National Dictionary Day falls on October 16.
Holiday dates for planning
| Observance | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Dictionary Day | Friday, October 16, 2026 | Saturday, October 16, 2027 | Monday, October 16, 2028 | Tuesday, October 16, 2029 | Wednesday, October 16, 2030 |
National Dictionary Day date reference
Choose a word keeper
Cut out the word cards. Give the answer key to one reader and show everybody else only the chosen word. The keeper copies its real meaning onto a slip. The other players each write a plausible invented meaning or whisper one to a helper.
Read the definitions aloud
Shuffle the slips and have the keeper read them in the same matter-of-fact voice. Players vote for the definition they think is real. Two players can still play: the keeper writes the real answer and two decoys for the other detective.
Reveal the real meaning
Read the key and try the word in a sentence that makes the meaning clear. Give a point for spotting the true definition and a point for each vote a decoy attracts. Swap keepers. For a younger group, draw the real object after the reveal and skip the scoring.
Get the free printable set
Can You Fool the Word Detective includes three printable US Letter pages. Bluff your way through six unusual words with definition slips and a keeper’s answer key.