Why should you want to know some great icebreaker questions for adults?

All too often we find ourselves grasping for something to talk about. With icebreaker questions for adults, your next work mixer or night out will be way less stressful.

No matter the tone you're trying to set, this post has icebreakers chosen to help you jump right into a conversation.

Keep these questions to ask in mind and take the stress out of meeting new people.

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8 Best Icebreaker Questions For Adults

The best icebreaker questions for adults help you to find something to talk about with anyone.

Whether you're out using pickup lines or got seated with strangers at your friend's wedding, these icebreaker questions for adults will get you chatting carelessly without the hand wringing.

1. If you could live in any sitcom, which one would it be?

Ask if they can sing the theme song too.

2. What was in your high school locker?

Allow them to take you down memory lane.

3. If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be?

Learn who this person's heroes and icons are.

4. If a movie was being made of your life and you could choose the actor/actress to play you, who would you choose and why?

This will give you an idea of how the person views him or herself.

5. What is the scariest thing you have ever done for fun?

Give them a chance to tell an awesome story.

6. If you can instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

Everyone has skills they wish they could master.

7. If you could eliminate one thing from daily routine, what would it be and why?

Imagine a world with one less annoyance.

8. What is your real favorite movie, and what movie do you pretend is your favorite to sound cultured?

Lets first acknowledge that everyone has one of each.

9 Icebreaker Questions Conversation Starters For Adults

There's a difference between small talk and a real conversation, and there's a time and place for each.

When you've met someone you really like talking to, use conversation starters to help you find something worth really talking about.

9. What is in the trunk of your car right now?

Hopefully nothing incriminating.

10. What is the best gift anyone's ever given to you?

Great gifts come with great stories.

11. Name your favorite children's story.

You'd be amazed how many stories you remember when the topic arises.

12. What is the first thing you think of when you wake in the morning?

Aside from snoozing the alarm, of course.

13. If you could visit any place in the world where would it be and why?

Conversations about travel is always motivating.

14. You have to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for one year. Which word do you choose?

How would the person summarize him or herself?

15. What childish things do you still do as an adult?

Have a conversation about what keeps you young.

16. Hit the treadmill or hit the couch?

Find out about the person's lifestyle.

17. If you were a type of jeans, what type would you be?

Hopefully not distressed.

8 Get To Know You Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Sometimes you meet someone and things just click. Whether those initial feelings are romantic or platonic, get to know you questions can help you become more familiar quickly.

Scroll through these icebreaker questions for adults and make new friends fast.

18. What do you look for in a friend?

How a person chooses friends reveals their values.

19. Are you a listener or a talker?

Find out how that person likes to interact with others.

20. If you had one extra hour of free time a day, how would you use it?

Who wouldn't love an extra hour to get things done?

21. Who do you admire the most?

A person's heroes reveal a lot about them.

22. If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be?

Find out what they believe is the most pressing issue.

23. What type of partner would you choose for yourself?

Find out which traits they find most important in a significant other.

24. What is something you can do better than anyone else you know?

Find out what they believe their strengths are.

25. What song best describes your life?

This fun question can reveal so much.

8 Funny Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Great nights aren't measured in the amount drank or spent, they're measured in the hardiness of the laughter and the greatness of the company.

With these funny questions to ask you'll be able to go straight from breaking the ice to having a great night with new friends.

26. What was the most embarrassing thing you have done while on a date?

Everyone loves a cringe-worthy date story.

27. If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do?

What quirky tricks can he or she do?

28. If you could eliminate one thing you do each day in the bathroom so that you never had to do it again, what would it be?

You'd be amazed at the range of answers this question gets.

29. What's the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still talk about to this day?

Childhood stories get everyone laughing.

30. If you moved to Sesame Street, who would you want as your neighbor? Why?

I imagine Elmo's neighbors make a lot of noise complaints.

31. If you had to be handcuffed to one person for an entire month, who would it be?

Who would they trust with the ultimate backstage pass?

32. If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?

This gets to their most dominant personality trait.

33. Where is the last place you'd be caught dead?

What unexpected places would they refuse to go to?

9 Would You Rather Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Would you rather questions are great icebreaker questions for adults because they challenge people to think and force them to choose between extremes.

The would you rather questions on this list of icebreakers are incredibly versatile. Some wax philosophical and others lean toward the ridiculous. Choose the questions that suit your mood and watch that ice break!

34. Would you rather have more time or more money?

And what would they do with what they chose?

35. Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button on your life?

Would they revisit the past or hold on to the present?

36. Would you rather be able to talk with the animals or speak all foreign languages?

Find out if your new friend is a people person or an animal person.

37. Would you rather be without internet for a week, or without your phone?

Yes, they are different things.

38. Would you rather work more hours per day, but fewer days or work fewer hours per day, but more days?

How would this person structure his or her life?

39. Would you rather listen to music from the 70’s or music from today?

Some love the classics, others love contemporary.

40. Would you rather be filthy rich and live 400 years ago or be middle class today?

Modern conveniences or archaic wealth?

41. Would you rather be known for your intelligence or your good looks?

What does this person value most about themself?

42. Would you rather mentally or physically never age?

Would they rather keep their mind sharp or their body tight?

10 Truth or Dare Icebreaker Questions For Adults

A good old fashioned game of truth or dare is a great way to get to know a new group of people. The truth questions force people to open up about themselves and the dare questions nudge people outside of their comfort zones.

These truth or dare questions make it easy to diffuse the tension that often comes with meeting new people.

43. What is your biggest turn off in a partner?

Even if you're not interested in the person, this can lead to a great conversation.

44. Describe your worst date ever.

Bad date stories never get old.

45. Yell out the first word that comes to your mind right now.

Of course the mind leaps to something dirty right then.

46. Belly dance to a country song.

Something about the mixture of genres is hilarious.

47. Speak like Shakespeare for the rest of the game.

Nay dear friend, thou canst not refuse a dare.

48. Name the person in the room who you think is the best dressed.

This question combines elements of truth and dare.

49. If you found a large amount of money, would you keep it or would you try to find the owner?

Be honest!

50. What is something you've done that no one would expect?

Learn something about them you'd never assume.

51. What is the silliest thing you have an emotional attachment to?

We all have random objects that mean a lot to us.

52. What was the most awkward romantic encounter you have had?

Sure you're putting them in the hot seat, but that's part of the fun!

11 Deep Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Is it possible to strike up a deep conversation with someone you've just met?

With well chosen deep questions to ask and the right conversational you can dive right into deep, meaningful conversations. If you hate small take and love engaging conversations, spull out some of these questions next time you're mingling.

53. Would you rather become someone else or just stay you?

Do they think the grass is always greener?

54. Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?

Either way you'll be wishing for the opposite.

55. Would you rather put a stop to war or end world hunger?

Which problem do they think is most urgent?

56. What book has influenced you greatly? How?

Good books open us up to new worlds; where has this person been?

57. What's the most important thing to you in life?

This can lead to a great conversation of priorities.

58. If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?

A person's ambitions are dear to their heart, so this question gets deep.

59. What is something unexpected that has changed about you in the last few years?

Times changes everyone. Reflecting on that is healthy.

60. What failure have you learned the most from?

Failure is a far better teacher than success.

61. If you can give one sentence advice about how to live life, what would it be?

What do they think is life's most important lesson?

62. If you had one day to live over again, what day would you pick?

And would it be so they could change something or relive something?

63. What do you think the secret to a good life is?

Let them share the gems they've picked up on life's journey.

7 Quick icebreaker questions for adults

Many people enjoy asking interesting and thought-provoking questions when trying to break the ice. Give the questions below a go and see what entertaining or intriguing answers you receive from an individual or members of a group.

64. If You Could Live in Any Sitcom, Which One Would It Be?

You'll quickly learn about the type of comedy shows that each member of the group enjoys.

65. What Was in Your High School Locker?

This quick icebreaker question is great for getting to know what someone was like when they were younger.

66. What Is the Scariest Thing You Have Ever Done for Fun?

Find out just how daring the group members are.

67. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

This is a question that can throw up some unusual answers.

68. What’s the story of your first crush?

This question offers a nice way to hear romantic stories from individuals in the group.

69. Which is your best feature?

People love to talk about themselves so this is a good way to get people talking, especially as part of a networking meeting.

70. Where would you like to be in five years?

A question which is perfect to put the members of a networking or team-building group to find out about their career aspirations.

Downloadable and Printable List of Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of icebreaker questions for adults (right click the image and select Save Image As...):

More Great Questions To Ask

Looking for more ways to strike up conversations? Check out these posts:

  1. Random questions keep everyone on their toes.
  2. Keep things light with fun questions to ask.
  3. Get people thinking with weird questions to ask.
  4. Find things you have in common with this or that questions.
  5. Funny get to know you questions get people laughing and opening up.

How to Ask Icebreaker Questions For Adults

Making a good impression while finding something to talk about is stressful, but using these icebreaker questions shouldn't be. Follow these two tips to start breakin' ice and makin' nice.

1. Match the Mood

Loud parties might not be the right setting for deep questions, and nsfw questions might not play well at the corporate retreat, so choose the questions that suit the mood.

2. Fake it till you make it

If you feel nervous meeting new people, you're not alone. Allow these questions to give you that boost of confidence until you gather enough of your own.

In Conclusion

These icebreaker questions for adults take all the stress out of meeting new people. No matter your setting, these questions to ask can serve as the perfect icebreaker, meaning you can stop dreading meeting new people and start looking forward to it.