Sayaround — Free Forbidden-Word Description Game

Sayaround is a description game similar in spirit to Taboo. One player sees a secret object on the phone, along with a list of words they are not allowed to say. Their job is to describe the object out loud until someone in the group guesses it — without using any of the forbidden words. The game rotates the phone so everyone gets a turn describing.

How to play Sayaround

1. The phone player taps "Start round" and looks at the secret object plus forbidden list.
2. They describe the object out loud, avoiding every forbidden word.
3. The rest of the group guesses out loud.
4. The first correct guesser earns the point. The describer also scores.
5. Pass the phone to the next describer.

Why the forbidden words matter

The forbidden words are always the words you would naturally reach for first. If the secret object is "pizza," the forbidden list includes "cheese," "round," "Italian," and "slice." The describer has to find non-obvious paths — talking about the smell, the cultural context, the mood, or a shared memory — which is what makes Sayaround funny.

Best group size

Sayaround works with two players (taking turns describing for each other) but plays best with three to six. With more than six, the loudest guessers tend to dominate, so consider splitting into teams for larger groups.

Tips for describers

• Lead with feelings and contexts rather than physical descriptions. Forbidden words usually cover the most obvious physical traits.
• If you stall, say something deliberately wrong about the object to provoke a "no, more like…" response from the group. Negative space is fair game.
• Pay attention to what your group already knows. Inside jokes and shared references make fast descriptions easier.

For other road trip games see /road-trip-games.