One secret word. One clueless player. Everyone at the table gets the same word except the impostor, who has to fake their way through the round without getting caught. Impostor is the fastest way to find out which of your friends can lie with a straight face.
It's built right into Cold Ones, the free party game app, with 1,500+ words across 13 themed categories. One phone, zero setup, instant chaos.
What is Impostor?
Impostor (often spelled Imposter) is a social deduction word game, somewhere between Among Us and a game of poker faces. The phone gets passed around and shows each player the secret word, say Pizza. One random player instead sees that they're the impostor. They have no idea what the word is.
Then everyone takes turns saying a single word that relates to the secret word. Real players want to prove they know it without making it too obvious. The impostor listens hard, bluffs harder, and tries to blend in. After a round or two, everyone votes on who the fake is. Wrong vote? The impostor wins. It's simple, it's tense, and it gets very loud.
Rules: how to play Impostor as a drinking game
You don't even need an app for the basic version, just someone to write words on paper slips. Here's how a round works:
- Everyone secretly checks their word. One player is the impostor and gets nothing.
- Going around the circle, each player says one word connected to the secret word. No repeats, no saying the word itself.
- The impostor improvises a word that sounds plausible based on what they've heard.
- After one or two rounds, everyone points at their suspect on the count of three.
- Caught the impostor? They finish their drink or take three sips. Voted out an innocent? The accusers drink instead.
- Bonus: if the impostor gets caught but can guess the secret word, they're saved and the group drinks.
Classic penalty is sips, but the game is just as fun fully alcohol-free. Swap drinks for silly forfeits, push-ups, or points.
Why play Impostor in Cold Ones
Paper slips work, but the app does the annoying part for you: it deals the word, picks the impostor in secret, and never repeats itself mid-party.
- 1,500+ words in 13 categories, from easy everyday stuff to niche pop culture deep cuts.
- No ads, no login. Open the app, pass the phone, play.
- Works offline, so it survives basements, cabins, and festival campsites.
- 4 languages: English, German, Spanish and French, with native word lists in each.
- Free, alongside 6 other party games like Truth or Dare and Never Have I Ever, 3,000+ questions total.
Feeling brave? There's even a Hot & Spicy category for groups that can handle it.
Tips to make it nastier (in a good way)
Say vague-but-defensible words. If the word is Volcano and you say "lava", the impostor knows everything. Say "hot" and they're still lost. Watch for players who hesitate half a second too long, that pause is the tell. And if you're the impostor: commit. Confidently wrong beats visibly panicked every single time.
Example categories and words from the app
- Everyday Objects 🏠: Umbrella, Toothbrush, Piggy Bank
- Foods & Drinks 🍕: Pizza, Sushi, Pancakes
- Famous People 🧑🎤: Taylor Swift, Lionel Messi, Barack Obama
- Nature & Weather 🌿: Volcano, Rainbow, Thunderstorm
- Pop Culture & Gen Z ✨: TikTok, Going Viral, No Cap
- Video Games 🎮: Minecraft, Among Us, Mario Kart
- Movies & TV Shows 🎬: Stranger Things, The Office, Squid Game
- Party & Drinking 🎉: Beer Pong, Kings Cup, Spin the Bottle
Grab Cold Ones free and find the impostor at your next party.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Impostor?
Everyone passes one phone around and secretly sees the same word, except one player who is told they are the impostor and never learns the word. Then each person says a single clue that proves they know the word without giving it away. After a round of clues, the group votes on who was faking.
How many players do you need for Impostor?
Three at minimum. It is at its best between about four and ten; beyond a dozen, split into two circles so the clue round does not drag.
Is Impostor free?
Yes, completely, with no time limit and no ads. Impostor is one of four games that are free to play in Cold Ones, alongside Trivia, Roulette and Party Mode Classic. No account is needed and it works offline.
What words does Impostor use?
Over 1,700 words per language across 13 categories, from Everyday Objects and Foods & Drinks to Movies & TV, Video Games, Countries & Cities, Party & Drinking and a Hot & Spicy set. You can pick which categories are in play and set the difficulty.
Is it spelled Impostor or Imposter?
Both spellings are in common use and mean the same thing. The game is called Impostor in the app, but people searching for the "imposter drinking game" are looking for exactly this.
