1. a game in which players act out words or phrases without speaking for others to guess
2. an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance

Examples

• We played charades at the party last night.
• She acted out the movie title in charades.
• The children love playing charades during family gatherings.
• His apology was just a charade to avoid punishment.
• The trial became a charade when key evidence was suppressed.
• Their marriage had become nothing more than a charade.
• The peace negotiations were dismissed as a political charade.