A kangaroo word is a word that contains all the letters of its own synonym, with the letters already placed in the correct order, but not necessarily adjacent to each other. For example, the word ‘masculine‘ has the synonym ‘male’ inside. Kangaroo words were originally popularised by Ben O’Dell in the 1950s.
The shorter synonym contained with the ‘kangaroo word’ is called a joey because a joey is carried inside a kangaroo’s pouch. So ‘male’ is a joey of the kangaroo word ‘masculine’.
A twin kangaroo word is a kangaroo word that contains two joeys. For example, ‘container’ has the words ‘tin’ and ‘can’.
An anti-kangaroo word contains a joey that is the antonym of the kangaroo word. For example, ‘covert’ contains the word ‘overt’ and ‘friend’ contains ‘fiend’.
A grand kangaroo is a kangaroo word that contains two joeys, but one of the joey’s is inside the other. For example, ‘alone’ has the word ‘lone’ inside which in turn has the word ‘one’ inside.
Activity Ideas
Kangaroo words are a great way to introduce new vocabulary to students and/or revise synonyms and antonyms.
Kangaroo Snatch
- Write kangaroo words and their joey word on separate cards.
- All the kangaroo words are placed upside down in a pile in the centre of the table.
- All the joey words are spread around the pile – face up so the word can be read.
- Players take it in turns to turn over and read a kangaroo card.
- The aim is to be the first player to find and grab the correct joey word.
- The game could also be played with anti-kangaroo words.
- Click on the title for a free downloadable version of the game.
Find the Joeys
- Give students a list of kangaroo words.
- Students must first find the definition of the kangaroo word and then attempt to locate the joey.
List of Kangaroo & Joey Words
| Kangaroo Word | Joey Word | Kangaroo Word | Joey Word |
| action | act | impair | mar |
| allocate | allot | instructor | tutor |
| alone | one | municipality | city |
| appropriate | apt | myself | me |
| arch | arc | masculine | male |
| arena | area | observe | see |
| astound | stun | perimeter | rim |
| banish | ban | platter | plate |
| barren | bare | precipitation | rain |
| barrier | bar | prosecute | sue |
| blossom | bloom | rampage | rage |
| blotch | blot | recline | lie |
| bombard | bomb | respite | rest |
| burst | bust | regulate | rule |
| canister | can | revolution | revolt |
| capable | able | rotund | round |
| cavern | cave | separate | part |
| charisma | charm | slithered | slid |
| chocolate | cocoa | splotch | spot |
| clump | lump | strives | tries |
| container | can, tin | stumble | tumble |
| contaminate | taint | substandard | bad |
| contradictory | contrary | equilateral | equal |
| cooled | cold | equitable | equal |
| curtail | cut | evacuate | vacate |
| deceased | dead | fabrication | fiction |
| deception | con | factual | actual |
| depository | depot | feasted | fed |
| destruction | ruin | fragile | frail |
| deteriorate | rot, die, riot | grandiose | grand |
| devilish | evil | gigantic | giant |
| disappointed | sad | history | story |
| encourage | urge | honourable | noble |
| enjoyment | joy | illuminated | lit |