How to play Gagged — free online taboo word game
Describe it. Just don't say it.
- Players
- 2–4
- Length
- ~10 min
- Type
- Describe
- Price
- Free
Gagged is the describe-it-without-saying-it game, with the obvious helpers taken away from you. The secret word comes with a list of the words you'd naturally reach for, and typing any of them is blocked outright.
Because the ban is enforced by the game rather than by an opponent watching you, there's no arguing about whether that counted. You simply can't send the clue, and you have to find another way in.
The talker sees the secret word and its banned list. Clues are typed, not spoken.
Free, no app and no sign-up to join — players hop in with a 4-letter code on their own phone.
How to play Gagged
The host picks rounds per player
One round each is the default, so everyone gets the same number of turns as the talker.
One player becomes the talker
They see the secret word and its banned list. Everyone else sees nothing.
Type clues around the banned words
Clues are typed, not spoken. The obvious words are blocked, so you're forced into description, analogy and misdirection.
Everyone else races to type the word
Guessing is open and unlimited — the first correct guess takes it.
The role rotates
The reveal shows the word and its ban list, and the next talker takes over.
What Gagged looks like
How scoring works
Both sides score: the guesser who gets it banks points, and the talker earns for getting the room there. That pairing is what stops talkers from stalling on impossible clues.
Faster solves are worth more, so a clue that lands immediately pays better than one that eventually works.
Because turns rotate evenly, the scoreboard measures how well you do in both seats rather than which one you drew.
Tips for winning Gagged
- Describe the category before the thing. Getting the room into the right area is worth more than a perfect clue nobody can place.
- Use what it isn't. Negative clues route around a ban list beautifully and are rarely blocked.
- Try a situation rather than a definition. 'You take one to the beach' beats a dictionary description almost every time.
- As a guesser, type your half-formed idea. Wrong guesses are free and they tell the talker what you've misunderstood.
Frequently asked questions
How many players do you need for Gagged?
Two to four.
Is Gagged like Taboo?
Yes — same constraint, our own word lists. The difference is that the banned words are enforced by the game rather than policed by an opposing player, so there's nothing to argue about.
Are clues spoken or typed?
Typed. That keeps the ban list enforceable and means the game works for a group spread across different places.
Is it free?
Yes, free to play and free to host, and joining needs only the 4-letter code.
Free, no app and no sign-up to join — players hop in with a 4-letter code on their own phone.