Random word generator
Pick the kind of word and how many, then press Generate. Tap a word to copy it.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is sent or saved.
Which words you get
Everyday words come from a hand-picked list of common English words that most children and learners know: 333 nouns, 195 verbs and 188 adjectives, such as castle, whisper and fluffy. Every word on it is checked against the full dictionary list. Any dictionary word draws from ENABLE, a public-domain word list used by many word games: 168,548 words of 2 to 15 letters, so it also gives unusual words like quinoa, zephyr or obsidian. That list is downloaded in parts the first time you choose it, only for the word lengths you pick.
Each batch has no repeats. Words are picked with your browser's cryptographic random generator, so every word that matches your settings has the same chance. Offensive words are never included.
How many words match
Narrowing the choice leaves fewer words to pick from. These are the counts for the everyday list:
| Settings | Words to choose from |
|---|---|
| Everyday words, 3 to 10 letters | 703 |
| Nouns, 3 to 10 letters | 333 |
| Nouns starting with S | 39 |
| Verbs with 4 or 5 letters | 140 |
| Adjectives with 8 to 10 letters | 10 |
If you ask for more words than match, you get all of them and a note saying so. Widening the length range or clearing Starts with gives more.
Word length matters most. This is how many everyday words have each length, so you can see where a game round will run short:
| Letters | Nouns | Verbs | Adjectives |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 32 | 23 | 13 |
| 4 | 92 | 76 | 54 |
| 5 | 84 | 64 | 64 |
| 6 | 75 | 22 | 37 |
| 7 | 30 | 9 | 10 |
| 8 | 17 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ideas
- Drawing and guessing games: generate nouns, keep the screen hidden and draw one each turn.
- Writing prompts: take three everyday words and write a story that uses all of them.
- Classroom: spelling practice by length, or a starting letter for a vocabulary round.
- Names and passwords: two random words make a memorable team or project name. For a password, use the password generator instead.
Questions
Can I use it for Pictionary or other drawing games?
Yes. Choose Nouns, which gives everyday things that are easy to draw, such as castle, and generate a list. Keep the screen hidden and take one word per turn.
How do I make a random word list?
Set How many, pick the kind of word and, if you like, a starting letter or a length, then press Generate. Copy all puts the whole list on your clipboard.
Is there a random noun generator?
Yes. Choose Nouns and every word drawn is a noun from the everyday list. Verbs and Adjectives work the same way.
Why are some dictionary words so strange?
The full list includes every word a word game accepts, from aa (a kind of lava) to zyzzyva (a weevil). Choose Everyday words if you want words people actually use.
Can I get words in other languages?
Not yet. Both lists are English.
Can I put the words on a wheel?
Yes. Copy all, then paste them into spin the wheel, one per line.