hangman

/ˈhæŋmən/
noun
  1. A person whose job is to execute prisoners by hanging them by the neck with a rope.
    • In medieval times, the hangman was often a feared and isolated figure.
    • The hangman prepared the noose in the prison yard.
    • The novel tells the story of a hangman who questions his profession.
  2. A word-guessing game in which players try to guess a word letter by letter, and each wrong guess adds a part to a drawing of a hanged figure.
    • We played hangman on the back of a napkin at the café.
    • I always lose at hangman because I pick long words.
    • The teacher used hangman to help students practice spelling.
Synonyms