charade
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a situation where people pretend something is true or serious, even though everyone knows it is a lie.
n.an absurd or hollow pretence; a deceptive act that is often transparent or obviously false.
Simple“The meeting was a complete charade because the decision had already been made.”
In context“The diplomatic negotiations were dismissed as a charade by critics who argued that both sides had already committed to military action.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a game where one player acts out a word or phrase without speaking, and the others try to guess it.
n.a parlour game in which players pantomime the individual syllables of a word or phrase for others to identify.
Simple“We spent the evening playing charades and laughing at my brother's bad acting.”
In context“During the holiday party, the family gathered in the living room for a competitive round of charades.”
UsageUsually used in the plural form 'charades' when referring to the game itself.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old type of word puzzle where clues are given for each part of a word.
n.a genre of riddle where clues are provided for each syllable of a word followed by a clue for the whole.
Simple“The Victorian book contained several complex charades for the readers to solve.”
In context“The author included a clever charade within the text, challenging the reader to decipher the hidden name through a series of puns.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to act something out or pretend to do something.
v.to perform or act out in the manner of a charade; to engage in a pretence.
Simple“He charaded his way through the interview, hoping they wouldn't notice his lack of experience.”
In context“She charaded her indifference with such skill that even her closest friends were convinced she no longer cared about the outcome.”
From French charade, charrade (“prattle, idle conversation; a kind of riddle”), probably from Occitan charrada (“conversation; chatter”), from charrar (“to chat; to chatter”) + -ada. As a round of the game, originally a clipping of acting charade but now usually understood and formed as a back-formation from charades.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.