Have you been sitting at home and getting stuck within the same routine of waking up, eating, working, eating again, surfing Netflix, and then eventually falling asleep? Have you been wondering about how you could keep your ever so active brain sharp and engaged?

We have the solution to your problems and it is one word: games! Yes, you read that right. Games have the ability to keep us engrossed in them for hours, so why not make these hours productive and a learning experience? 

While keeping yourself entertained and helping the hours pass by, you can learn new words, improve your vocabulary, learn synonyms that you would have never known, and improve your usage of words. 

This is a brilliant opportunity for anyone whose native language is not English and they wish to understand it better or pretty much ANYONE who wishes to hone their vocabulary, irrespective of age!

Let’s take a look at a few games that you, your family, and friends can obsess over during this pandemic!

Top 10 Games to Improve Your Vocab

1.  Words with Friends

In case you and your friends haven’t already signed up for this game, then you’re definitely missing out! Words with Friends has become massively popular over the past couple of months and no doubt it has since it was created by Zynga- the same company that created the iconic FB game Farmville! 

The game was introduced a decade ago but still manages to get people hooked onto it. The game essentially feels like a Scramble for phones and pushes you to learn and try out uncommon and new words while playing with your friends and staying connected.

2.  Vocabulary.com

If you are looking for something that is a bit more organized, this is what you need. Vocabulary.com has been carefully created with complex algorithms (to make your experience smoother) that design and modify exercises based on your responses to ensure that you are learning the way you want to and the way you understand better.

This app lets you learn new phrases and words with the help of attention grabbing games and short quizzes. You begin by answering multiple short vocabulary questions which would lead you to the next level with completely different and interesting words. The app is completely free and worth it!

3.  PowerVocab

If you are looking for something quick, flashy, and super fun, then PowerVocab might pique your interest. This app is kind of a flashcard game for the phone and helps you hone your vocabulary with timed short duration tests where individuals (or players) are supposed to match words with multiple definitions that are given.

You can even play this game with your friends and see who is faster and who isn’t! This app is a fun and short way to incorporate different words and their meanings into your day and allows you to keep trying if you get it wrong!

4.  Anki

In case you are looking for something a bit more traditional and organized, then Anki is what you need in your life.

Anki works by offering shared flashcard options and interesting downloads that offer you crucial English words in a hefty amount so the learning never stops! With the help of sound and images, Anki provides you with a holistic multimedia experience as you try to improve your vocabulary. 

The app utilizes the potential of traditional flashcard methods to keep you engaged and guessing.

5.  A Word A Day Widget

The creators of PowerVocab have also brilliantly designed a much simpler yet extremely productive and insightful app – A Word A Day Widget. It does not differ too much from dictionary.com in terms of interface and functionality and regularly shows you an uncommon and new word to keep your brain running and never let it sit idle.

This app is perfect for anyone who does not have the time or effort to put in everyday games but still wishes to learn something new by simply glancing at their phone!

6. Reverse Dictionary

If you are more interested in learning the meaning of complicated words rather than new words, then this app will have you glued to your phone for days! This app lets you look for words by description instead of vice-versa. 

The app functions through the engine mechanism of reverse lookup that creates numerous potentially interesting and exciting words based on the description phrase or line provided by you. 

This way you can find the perfect word for the exact feeling you’re experiencing while letting you discover similar new words.

7. 7 Little Words

This game completely embodies the phrase “short and sweet” and makes your experience feel the same. This game is bound to leave you mind-boggled and calling up your friends for clues. 

7 Little Words works by providing you with seven varying definitions and lettered boxes or tiles that you need to arrange into comprehensible words. This game is an amazing mental exercise as it makes the player keep trying to figure out the right word by a hit-and-miss technique rather than providing the answer by itself.

You can play it on your phone while you are riding the bus, waiting in line, taking a break from work, or simply lazing around.

8. Duolingo

So, we saved something interesting and different for the last. In case you haven’t already heard about the world-famous app Duolingo, worry not, we are here to help you!

This app does not essentially teach you new English words or help you learn the definition of new ones, but it is a brilliant and organized app to learn a completely new language. All you need to do is dedicate a couple of minutes to this app daily while you’re eating breakfast, using the loo, or even working. 

Duolingo has multiple exercises that would test your writing, reading, and pronunciation skills with the help of carefully crafted exercises. The app is free and does not take more than 15 minutes of your day.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Stay engaged, stay smart, and keep learning during this pandemic. With the help of the apps and games that we have listed above, you would find your days becoming more occupied with meaningful activities while you learn something new every day.

You do not always need to learn from an extensive book or exercise, and even 10 minutes on a simple app is good enough to make you a pro at English or whichever language you might be interested in!