hangman

noun

hang·​man ˈhaŋ-mən How to pronounce hangman (audio)
Synonyms of hangmannext
1
: one who hangs a condemned person
also : a public executioner
2
: a game in which the object is for one player to guess the letters of an unknown word before the player who knows the word creates a stick figure of a hanged man by drawing one line for each incorrect guess

Examples of hangman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The classic effigy comes with a free hangman’s noose or lasso. — Jack Handey, New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2025 The former cop also claimed to have found a hangman’s noose under Epstein’s mattress. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026 At the end of long days, Banjo would bring his kids to the office, and the group — Kotwica, Banjo and the kids — would play games of hangman on the greaseboard. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025 The death penalty has just been abolished in the United Kingdom, and all the townspeople in Oldham want to know what the second-best hangman in the country has to say about it. — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hangman

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hangman was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

hang loose
hangman
hangman's halter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hangman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hangman. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

hangman

noun
hang·​man ˈhaŋ-mən How to pronounce hangman (audio)
1
: a person who hangs condemned criminals
2
: a game in which the object is for one player to guess the letters of an unknown word before the player who knows the word creates a stick figure of a hanged man by drawing one line for each incorrect guess

More from Merriam-Webster on hangman

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hangman

Nglish: Translation of hangman for Spanish Speakers

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