Random Word Generator
This random word generator picks words from a list of common English words at the press of a button. Set how many, how long and how well known they should be, add a first letter if you like, and let a new word appear every few seconds for drawing games, charades or freestyle.
Source: W3C Recommendation, W3C Web Cryptography API – getRandomValues(). Updated: .
How it is calculated
How to use the random word generator
- Choose the language, how many words and their length – for drawing games, one word with 4 to 7 letters works well.
- Optionally type the first letter(s).
- Press "New words". Changing any setting also draws a new set.
With "Change automatically" a new word appears every 5 to 60 seconds – handy for freestyle rap, songwriting prompts, improv or a warm-up game. It pauses while the tab is in the background.
Where the words come from
The English list combines the SCOWL spelling word list (US and UK spellings) with frequency data from wordfreq. How well known a word is, is measured on the Zipf scale: the base-10 logarithm of how often it appears per billion words.
- very common: Zipf 4 or higher – at least ten times per million words ("window", "garden").
- common: Zipf 3 or higher – at least once per million words.
- include rare words: everything in the list.
Because frequency lists count word forms, you will sometimes get plurals or past tenses ("things", "called"). For drawing games, stick to very common words and a shorter length.
Fair and private
Words are drawn without replacement using crypto.getRandomValues, the browser's cryptographically secure random source: every matching word has the same chance and none repeats within one draw. Everything runs on your device; nothing is sent or stored.
Ideas
Prompts for drawing games and charades, story starters, vocabulary practice, band or project name brainstorming. For complete games try Hangman or the categories game; to spin your own list use Spin the Wheel, and to make words from letters, the word unscrambler.
Presets, last letter and history
The presets set everything with one click: “Drawing game” draws one very common word with 4 to 8 letters, “Charades” one common word with 4 to 10 letters and “Writing prompt” three words to use in a story. With “Ends with” you can find rhymes and word families, for example all words ending in “ing”.
Below the buttons, the history of this session collects every word drawn, newest first – handy for checking after a round. It lives only in the memory of the tab. “Copy link with these settings” passes on language, length and filters; the words themselves are drawn afresh for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get random words for drawing games?
Set the number to 1, choose "very common words" and 4 to 7 letters. Press "New words" – or pick an automatic change every 30 or 60 seconds for each round.
Can I get only nouns?
For German words, yes – German nouns are capitalised, so the "Nouns only" filter is reliable there. English lists do not mark parts of speech, so very common short words are the best approximation.
Are the words truly random?
They are drawn with the Web Crypto API, the same secure random source used for passwords. Every word that matches your filters is equally likely, and there are no duplicates in one draw.
Can I generate words that start with a certain letter?
Yes. Type one or more letters into "Starts with", for example "b" or "str". Upper and lower case do not matter.
Does it work in other languages?
Yes: German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Turkish and Indonesian lists are built in – choose them under "Word language".
Can I generate words with a certain ending?
Yes. Type the ending into “Ends with”, for example “ing” or “tion”. First and last letters can be combined.
Sources and legal basis
- W3C Recommendation: W3C Web Cryptography API – getRandomValues()
- MDN Web Docs – Crypto.getRandomValues()
- wordfreq 3.1.1 (Robyn Speer) – Worthäufigkeiten, Zipf-Skala; Daten CC BY-SA 4.0
- English word list: SCOWL + wordfreq (origin and licence)
As of: · Editorial policy
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