What is an Anagram? Definition, Function with Examples

Welcome to this post titled: What is an Anagram? Definition, Function with Examples. An anagram is a word or phrase spelled by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. From the word anagram, we have the words anagrammatise or anagrammatize; which means to read letters out of order to discover a hidden meaning in them.

What is an Anagram? Definition, Function with Examples

Let us begin by first looking at anagram definition…

Anagram Definition

An anagram is a play on words created by shuffling the letters of the original word to make a new word or phrase. In other words, an anagram is a word or phrase that we can form by the rearrangement of letters of a different word or phrase using all the original letters exactly once. Anagram examples can be fun and witty, and they often end in hilarious results. It is said that a very popular example of an anagram is the word anagram itself. It can be turned into nag a ram.

Types of Anagrams

There are different types of anagrams; these include: simple word anagrams, creative anagrams, name anagrams, place anagrams, baby names anagrams, etc. Read on to see examples of each of these types of anagrams.

Simple Word Anagrams

From simple word anagrams, we can create new words that are not related to one another. Example of such words include:

• Rat-Tar
• Car-Arc
• Below-Elbow
• Taste-State
• Cried-Cider
• Study-Dusty
• Thing-Night
• Chin-Inch
• Grab-Brag
• Act-Cat
• Robed-Bored
• Vase-Save
• Glean-Angel
• Desserts-Stressed
• Binary-Brainy
• Wrap-Warp
• Charm-March
• Top-Pot
• Wand-Dawn
• Best-Bets
• Laps-Alps/Slap
• Sue-Use
• Spots-Posts/Stops
• Listened-Enlisted
• Tan-Ant
• Limped-Dimple
• Below-Elbow/Bowel
• Lamp-Palm
• Impart-Armpit
• Waits-Waist
• Fringe-Finger
• Sink-Skin
• Earth-Heart
• Cafe-Face
• Keen-Knee
• Are-Ear
• Votes-Stove
• Thicken-Kitchen
• Heater-Reheat
• Fired-Fried
• Diary-Dairy
• Iced-Dice
• Beak-Bake
• Pat-Tap
• Nap-Pan

Good Anagram Words

Having looked at some simple word anagrams, let us consider some anagrams word list that are equally interesting. Find them below:

• Wreathes-Weathers
• Toneless-Noteless
• Teaching-Cheating
• Sunlight-Hustling
• Stealing-Genitals
• Silenced-Licensed
• Roasting-Organist
• Reversed-Reserved
• Relation-Oriental
• Refining-Infringe
• Recitals-Articles
• Pointers-Proteins
• Overhang-Hangover
• Salesmen-Nameless
• Mutilate-Ultimate
• Marching-Charming
• Lookouts-Outlooks
• Listened-Enlisted
• Lessened-Needless
• Imprints-Misprint
• Cheaters-Hectares/Teachers
• Worried-Wordier
• Viewers-Reviews
• Treason-Senator
• Trashed-Hardest/Threads/Hatreds
• Thinker-Rethink
• Terrain-Trainer
• Sisters-Resists
• Silvers-Slivers
• Sitting-Listing
• Silence-License
• Shotgun-Gunshot
• Sensual-Unseals
• Section-Notices
• Salting-Lasting
• Saltier-realist/Retails
• Ripples-Slipper
• Resells-Sellers
• Rescued-Reduces/Secured/Seducer
• Reprint-Printer
• Repaint-Painter/Pertain
• Repacks-Packers




Creative Anagrams

One of the features of language is creativity. Aside the simple word anagrams which create an entirely different word, there are also some creative and funny anagrams that produce other words that are relevant to the original word. Let us see some instances of this:

• Dormitory-Dirty room
• School master-The classroom
• Conversation-Voices rant on
• Listen-Silent
• Astronomer-Moon starer
• The eyes-They see
• A gentleman-Elegant man
• Funeral-Real fun
• The Morse Code-Here comes dots
• Eleven plus two-Twelve plus one
• Slot machines-Cash lost in me
• Fourth of July-Joyful Fourth
• Mother-in-law = Hitler woman
• Debit card = Bad credit
• Dormitory = Dirty room
• The earthquakes = The queer shakes
• Astronomer = Moon starrer
• Punishments = Nine thumps
• School master = The classroom

Anagrams in Classical Modern Literature

In Literature, writers sometimes shuffle letters to create interesting names for their characters. Examples of these instances include:

• Amleth, a Danish prince – Hamlet. (William Shakespeare)
• Tribnia and Langden, anagrams of Britain and England, (Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels)
• I am Lord Voldemort as an anagram for the Dark Lord’s prior name, Tom Marvolo Riddle (J.K. Rowling)
• Vladamir Nabakov, in his novel Lolita, presents the character Vivian Darkbloom, which is an anagram of his own name.
Clues left by a murdered museum curator in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code)
• O, Draconian devil-Leonardo da Vinci
• Oh, lame saint-The Mona Lisa
• So dark the con of man-Madonna of the Rocks

Name Anagrams

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, means Dream and Iron to the whole nation. But the funny side comes into play when the same name is rearranged as ‘Married and No’. If so, why was T. S. Eliot named with an anagram of ‘toilets’? (iluEnglish)

Sometimes, anagrams are created out of the names of famous individuals; the outcome of which is often comical. The creation of such anagrams could be from the people themselves. Such anagrams include the following:

• Jim Morrison – Mr. Mojo Risin’
• Damon Albarn – Dan Abnormal
• George Bush – He bugs Gore
• Edward Gorey – Ogdred Weary
• Dave Barrey – Ray Adverb
• Glen Duncen – Declan Gunn
• Clint Eastwood – Old West action
• Ronald Reagan – A darn long era
• Elvis – Lives
• Madonna Louise Ciccone – One cool dance musician
• Bart (Bart Simpson) – Brat
• William Shakespeare – I am a weakish speller




Here is a long list of anagrams created out of the names of famous individuals culled from iluEnglish.

Names of Famous People’s Anagrams (A-E)

  • Adam Sandler – Real damn sad
  • Adolf Hitler – Hated for ill/Do real filth
  • Albert Einstein – Liberate tennis
  • Alec Guinness – Genuine class
  • Amelia Earhart – Malaria heater
  • Ann Coulter – Unclean rot
  • Anthony Kiedis – Stinky hen kids
  • Antonio Banderas – Bandana sorter
  • Avril Lavigne – Grave villain
  • Babe Ruth – Bub hater
  • Barack Obama – Arab cab amok
  • Beyoncé Knowles – Cowboys kennel
  • Bill Gates – I’ll stab leg/Get ill abs
  • Bill Murray – Burly male
  • Brad Pitt – Bit part
  • Bill Nye The Science Guy – Intensely huge bicycle
  • Billy Corgan – Lyrical bong
  • Brad Rowe – Wardrobe
  • Brenda Lee – Reenabled
  • Britney Spears – Presbyterians
  • Carl Mathieu – Rheumatical
  • Cecil B Demille – Ecch! millipede!
  • Chad Kroeger – Orchard geek
  • Chairman Mao – I am on a march
  • Channing Tatum – Cunning at math
  • Charile Chaplin – Chinchilla pear
  • Charlie Brown – Bar clown heir
  • Christian Bale – Anarchist bile
  • Christopher Walken – Crank the lower hips!
  • Ciint Eastwood – Old west action
  • David Schwimmer – Shave me radish, ma
  • Diane Keaton – Kinda ate one
  • Disraeli – I lead, Sir
  • Dwayne Johnson – Enjoys own hand
  • Eric Clapton – Narcoleptic

Names of Famous People’s Anagrams (E-M)

  • Ernest Hemingway – My thinner sewage
  • Florence Nightingale – Flit on, cheering angel
  • George Bush – He bugs gore
  • George Clooney – Cool glue yell
  • Hulk Hogan – Laugh honk
  • Indira Gandhi – Hi, grand india
  • James Gandolfini – Inflamed gonad
  • Jason Statham – Satan shot jam
  • Jennifer Aniston – Fine in torn jeans
  • Jodie Foster – Rodeo jester
  • Julius Caesar – Casual juries
  • Justin Timberlake – I am a jerk, but listen
  • Keira Knightley – Gay kinky Hitler
  • Kevin Federline – Evil knee finder
  • Lance Armstrong – Long arm nectars
  • Leonardo Dicaprio – A periodical donor
  • Leornado Da Vinci – Did color in a nave/Acrid vain noodle
  • Liam Neeson – Insane mole
  • Lionel Messi – Millions see
  • Margaret Thatcher – That great charmer
  • Marilyn Manson – Manly man? no sir!/Mom rails nanny
  • Mario Batali – Airmail boat
  • Martin Scorcese – Minor actresses
  • Matt Damon – Damn tomato
  • Maya Angelou – Alumnae yoga
  • Meg Ryan – Germany
  • Mel Gibson – Big melons
  • Meryl Streep – Try eel sperm
  • Michael Stipe – Emphatic lies
  • Michel Foucault – Ethical cum foul
  • Monica Lewinsky – Nice silky woman
  • Morgan Freeman – A gnome farmer




Names of Famous People’s Anagrams (N-T)

  • Narendra Modi – Dream and iron/Married and no/Armed and iron
  • Neil Young – Online guy
  • Nelson Mandela – Lean and solemn
  • Nicolas Cage – Cocaine slag
  • John Cusack – Coach’s junk
  • Osama Bin Laden – A bad man (no lies)
  • Pamela Anderson – Anal promenades
  • Paris Hilton – Harlton, i spin
  • Patricia Arquette – Aquatic reaper tit
  • President Boris Yeltsin – Tipsiness – done terribly
  • President George Bush – He, biggest rude person
  • Ray Liotta – Total liar
  • Roman Polanski – Spank monorail
  • Ronald Wilson Reagan – A long-insane warlord
  • Rowan Sebastian Atkinson – I, an artist, so known as bean
  • Saddam Hussein – Human’s sad side
  • Salman Rushdie – Read, shun islam
  • Sandra Bullock – A round ballsack/Bad acorn skull
  • Steve Harvey – Has every hat
  • Steve Irwin – Interviews
  • Scarlett Johansson – John let satan cross
  • Steve Perry – Yes, pervert
  • Susan Orlean – Neuron salsa
  • Sylvester Stallone – Severely lost satanist
  • Tara Lipinski – Parasite link

Names of Famous People’s Anagrams (T-Z)

  • Ted Gray – Tragedy
  • Theresa May – A steamy her/Shame at Rye/Share my tea
  • Tim Burton – Minor butt
  • Tom Cruise – Cum stories
  • Travis Lee – Versatile
  • Uma Thurman – Mom hunter
  • Usain Bolt – Ablutions
  • Val Kilmer – Kevin miller
  • Verne Troyer – No, never try
  • Vin Diesel – I end lives
  • Vladimir Putin – A livid prim nut
  • Wes Anderson – Renowned ass
  • William Clinton – An ill clown, I’m it!
  • William Shakespeare – I am a weakish speller/I’ll make a wise phrase/He’s like a lamp, I swear
  • Yasmin Le Bon – Mainly bones
  • Zora Neale Hurston – A zealous Northern

List of Anagram Baby Names

Nancy has put together a fine list of anagram baby names ranging from 2-letter to 10-letter baby names. She also gave an almost exhaustive list of baby names. I extracted below, 4-Letter Anagram Baby Names; but you need to check out her near exhaustive list of Anagram Baby Names

4-Letter Anagram Baby Names

• Aden – Dane – Dean – Dena – Edan – Edna – Neda
• Adin – Andi – Dani – Dian – Dina
• Aino – Iona
• Alan – Lana – Nala
• Alec – Cale
• Alek – Elka – Kale – Kela – Lake
• Alex – Axel – Lexa
• Aliz – Liza
• Alli – Lila
• Alma – Amal – Mala
• Alun – Lanu – Luna – Nula – Ulan
• Amin – Iman – Mina – Nima
• Amir – Irma – Mari – Mira – Rima
• Amon – Mona – Noam – Oman
• Anja – Jana
• Anne – Nena
• Arik – Kira
• Arlo – Orla
• Arno – Aron – Nora – Oran – Orna – Roan – Rona
• Ashe – Shae – Shea
• Aviv – Viva
• Cary – Cyra
• Cash – Chas
• Chaz – Zach
• Clay – Lacy
• Cleo – Cole
• Dave – Deva/Veda
• Eino – Ione
• Elin – Leni – Neil
• Elly – Lyle
• Elsa – Sela
• Enzo – Zeno
• Erik – Keri
• Etna – Nate
• Etta – Tate
• Evan – Neva – Vena
• Flor – Rolf
• Gina – Inga
• Hale – Leah
• Hans – Nash – Shan
• Ilka – Kali
• Ilma – Liam – Mali – Mila
• Ilsa – Isla – Lisa
• Iris – Siri
• Isra – Rais – Sari – Sira
• Ivan – Vina
• Jane – Jean – Jena
• Kami – Mika
• Karl – Lark
• Kory – York
• Lane – Lena – Neal – Nela
• Leon – Noel
• Liam – Mila
• Lina – Nila
• Lula – Ulla
• Macy – Myca
• Mary – Myra
• Mora – Omar – Roma
• Nita – Tina
• Reva – Vera
• Saul – Sula
• Sita – Tisa




Place Anagrams

We can create anagrams from names of places. Examples include:

• Paris – Pairs
• San Diego – Diagnose
• Denver – Nerved
• Las Vegas – Salvages
• Statue of Liberty – Built to stay free
• Boncar, West Virginia – carbon
• Carol City, Florida – Coral
• Dongola, Wisconsin – Gondola
• Elroy, Wisconsin – Leroy
• Garus, California – sugar
• El Jobean, Florida – Joel Bean
• Linbro Park, Sandton, South Africa – Brolin
• Malesus, Tennessee – Samuels
• Neola, West Virginia – Olean, New York
• Shallmar, Maryland – Marshall
• Atokad Park – Dakota
• Egnar, Colorado – range
• Ekoms, Oregon – smoke
Read more on Place Anagrams

Function of Anagram

Anagrams do really have some functions they perform. They are humorous and witty. Anagrams are forms of recreation as we see in cross word puzzles, scrabble and other word games. They can help children hone their spelling skills and help adults, too, sharpen their ability to solve clues and hidden meanings.

Anagrams can also be used to hide authors’ identities through the use of pseudonyms; though easily discoverable for someone who is quick witted. In mystery or detective novels, movies or short stories, anagrams can help in solving clues and unravelling mysteries. In all, anagrams challenges us to be witty, creative and to think.

Anagram Worksheet

How good are you at solving anagrams? Can you attempt some English Anagrams Exercises? Let me give you a list of anagrams to solve. Find below forty (40) words from which you are expected to generate/create new words:

1. Arising
2. Cocaine
3. Disease
4. Framing
5. Infests
6. Joiners
7. Kitchen
8. Lasting
9. Layover
10. Lessons
11. Lookout
12. Manures
13. Marcher
14. Marital
15. Markers
16. Martial
17. Mobbing
18. Outlook
19. Painter
20. Postman
21. Praised
22. Present
23. Printer
24. Rebuild
25. Recital
26. Refills
27. Reheats
28. Relayed
29. Rentals
30. Turned
31. Unbred
32. Unrobe
33. Untidy
34. Untied
35. Uppers
36. Vector
37. Verses
38. Vetoed
39. Viewer
40. Vowels

You can check out the answers to these Everyday Vocabulary Anagrams

Have you heard about Palindromes? I have a robust post on them; do check it out too.

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Author

  • Jaymz Boanerges

    I am a teacher of English. I have a passion is to impart the knowledge of the English language to the teeming populace in Nigeria and beyond, especially students at all levels of education, so that they can acquire both linguistic competence and linguistic performance in the language, gaining mastery of and comprehending the nitty-gritty of the language.

5 thoughts on “What is an Anagram? Definition, Function with Examples”

  1. It so funny but it make someone know how to rearrange the word in a simple way,it also improvement of spelling the word and make someone sharp more.

    Reply

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