350+ Great icebreaker questions to ask in polls and surveys

Are you looking for a way to instantly improve communication, increase psychological safety in teams, or boost the response rate of your online surveys? You’ve come to the right place. Icebreaker questions are a proven way to lower the “affective filter,” helping participants think, share, and connect on a deeper level. They transform cold data collection into a warm, thought-provoking experience.

In this comprehensive guide, we first establish the psychological foundation of icebreakers. Then, we provide 350+ excellent, segmented icebreaker questions you can use across 12 different audiences and objectives. Finally, we'll walk you through how to leverage these questions to create highly engaging icebreaker polls in 5 simple steps using forms.app.

What is an icebreaker question? (the psychological foundation)

Icebreaker questions are one of the fastest and most efficient ways to achieve psychological safety within a group or audience. They help create a more relaxed atmosphere by introducing an element of low-stakes vulnerability.

350+ Amazing icebreaker questions to ask

Icebreaker questions are valuable tools for understanding each group or audience member's experiences, thoughts, values, or expectations. They help prevent people from getting bored while answering the questions and increase participation. Because there are no right or wrong answers, each participant can answer the questions as they wish. 

Below, we have 350+ questions under many headings, from funny icebreaker questions to icebreaker questions for virtual meetings:

Funny ice breaker questions

Fun icebreaker questions can be a good choice to strengthen communication in any environment. Hilarious icebreaker questions can help you learn more about each other and have a more enjoyable time in your environment. Below are funny icebreaker questions for adults, teens, family, work colleagues, and more.

1. If you were famous for a day, which celebrity would you want to be?

2. What is the most ridiculous food combination you've ever enjoyed eating together?

3. What was your funniest misunderstanding?

4. Have you ever accidentally texted someone? What was the message?

5. If you could make an animal sound for the rest of your life, which animal would you choose?

6. If you could have one extraordinary power, what power would you want and why?

7. Would you tell jokes to everyone you meet, or have everyone you meet tell you a joke?

8. What would you do if you told a joke to scare someone you knew?

9. What is your weirdest and funniest habit you don't share with anyone?

10. If you were to star in a movie/series, which character would you want to play in which movie/series?

11. What is the most ridiculous invention in the world, in your opinion?

12. What would it be if you could only speak one word for the day?

13. What is something that people often do that you never do?

14. If someone were you for a day, what would you not want them to know about?

15. What was the most embarrassing situation you've ever fallen into in an awkward silence?

16. Which internet meme do you find fun and makes you laugh whenever you see it?

17. Who would you want to be if you were a Disney princess/prince?

18. If you could only communicate with 3 words, what 3 words would you choose?

19. Would you rather live with a red nose forever, or would you rather skip all the time?

20. What would be the first thing you would do if you woke up in the morning and suddenly realized you were 10 years old?

21. What would you choose if you had to only whisper or shout for the rest of your life?

22. Have you ever misunderstood a word and ended up in a funny situation?

23. Have you ever taken the wrong bus? What did you do?

24. What was the last time you laughed uncontrollably?

25. What was the last conversation you overheard that was hilarious?

26. What was the last weird thing someone accused you of?

27. What would be the first thing you would do if you were a robot for a day?

28. If you were given a nickname, what would it be?

29. What was the weirdest purchase you've ever made?

30. What's the weirdest app on your phone?

31. What character would you be if your life were an animated movie?

32. What is your weirdest fear?

33. What is a theory you believe in but know is ridiculous?

34. Which Halloween costume would you choose to wear?

35. What was your worst haircut ever?

36. What's the most interesting fact you don't want people to know about you?

37. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

38. What TV show is your guilty pleasure?

39. What's the craziest ice cream flavor you'd like to see produced?

40. What is a fashion trend that you find ridiculous?

41. If you were to give someone a piece of advice, what would be your weirdest advice?

A funny icebreaker question example

Icebreaker questions for dating

For example, you are on a romantic date and want to learn more about the person without boring them too much. At this point, using icebreaker questions would be a good option. Below, you can see some icebreaker questions you can ask for dating:

42. Do you believe in love at first sight?

43. What is the first thing you notice about your partner when you first meet?

44. What is the biggest reason to alienate you from the person in front of you when you first meet?

45. What would be a perfect first-date scenario?

46. Who was the person who impressed you the most in your life and why?

47. What is the most enormous red flag you see in a relationship?

48. What is the most essential feature of your partner for you?

49. What is the situation you never want to happen in a relationship?

50. What are your most important expectations from a relationship?

51. What is the feature of your partner that connects you to the relationship the most?

52. What activity do you enjoy doing the most with your partner?

53. What was your most unforgettable date so far?

54. What is the thing you are most confident about in your relationship?

55. What do you think you need to improve your relationship?

56. What is the biggest dream that you want to realize with your partner?

57. What was the most beautiful romantic moment you have ever had?

58. What do you think makes a relationship unique?

59. What do you think is the most obvious sign that you know you love someone?

60. If there was a challenge we had to overcome together, what would it be?

61. What was the most meaningful gift you've ever given your partner?

62. What is the best advice you can give yourself in a relationship?

63. How would you define love in one word?

An icebreaker question for dating

Icebreaker questions for work

Although it may sound like these questions can’t be used in serious environments like work, this is just a prejudice. On the contrary, icebreaker questions are among the most fun and effective ways to build strong bonds among team members in the business world and to better understand them. So, what kind of icebreaker questions can you ask in business life? The answer is below.

64. What is your most motivated moment at work?

65. What is your favorite routine at work?

66. What is your biggest accomplishment in your career?

67. What is your favorite way to learn new things?

68. How did you imagine the job you do now as a child?

69. What was your most ridiculous career dream as a child?

70. How do you prefer to receive feedback on your work?

71. Who would you choose if you had to switch roles with someone at work for a day?

72. What are the 3 must-have items you want on your desk?

73. What is the thing that makes you feel most energized before work in the morning?

74. If your coworkers could describe you in one word, what would they say?

75. What is your favorite moment of success at work?

76. What skill do you need to improve right now?

77. What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

78. What would be your first change if your boss made you CEO for a day?

79. What do you most look forward to about your job?

80. What is one value important to you in a team environment?

81. What is the funniest thing that happened to you at work?

82. Who would you choose if you could have another team member replace your boss for a day?

83. What would you change to make our work processes more efficient?

84. Who would you be if everyone at work were a movie character?

85. What would it be if you could make a weird rule at work?

86. If everyone at work had to sing along for a day, what song would you sing?

87. What would be the most significant gossip topic at work?

88. What would it be if you could only do one task during a workday?

89. What would you remove if you could cancel one task forever during a workday?

90. What would you want everyone at work to be banned from using?

91. If you could create any new position at work, what would it be called, and what would it do?

92. What's the funniest work-themed meme you've seen lately that made you laugh so hard?

An icebreaker question for the office

Ice breaker questions for friends

Icebreaker questions are a great way to strengthen your friendships and have fun while getting to know them better. In addition to having a great time, they also give you a deeper perspective on each other. So what are these questions? Below are some icebreaker questions you can ask your friends:

93. If you were to stay at a fixed age, what age would you want to stay at?

94. What would you change if you could go back in time and change one thing?

95. What game did you enjoy playing the most as a child?

96. What was the most ridiculous compliment you ever received?

97. If your best friend could describe you with one word, what would he say?

98. What sentence or phrase do you use most in your life?

99. What is the reason your friends call you the most?

100. What is your favorite childhood memory that we had together?

101. What do you value the most in a friendship?

102. What is one thing you admire in your friends?

103. How does it feel to be you now?

104. What is something you are grateful for in your friendship?

105. What do you need support for the most right now?

106. Have you ever had a friendship that you regret losing?

107. What was the most ridiculous argument you had with your friends?

108. Who is the friend who had the most impact on your life?

109. What would be the most crucial event that would cause you to end your friendship?

110. What is the habit that annoys your friends the most?

111. What is the point at which we get along the most?

112. What role do you play the most in your circle of friends?

113. What did you think of me when you first met me?

114. Have you ever been jealous of a friend? If yes, what is it?

115. What is something you would like to do more of with our group of friends?

116. What would you want to know if you could learn anything about each of your friends?

117. If you could travel in time, would you instead go to the past or the future?

118. Would you rather have a rewind or pause button in your life?

119. If you were living a friend's life, who would you choose?

120. What is the most important thing you are curious about about your best friend?

121. What is the funniest prank your friends have ever played on you?

122. Who would be the last person to survive in our group of friends?

123. If we committed a crime together, what would it be?

124. Have you ever pretended to love a friend even though you hated them?

125. What do you think our most ridiculous thing in common is?

126. Who would you want me to be if I were your mother or father rather than your friend?

127. Which one of us would get lost faster if we were in a deserted forest?

128. What would you do if you had a million dollars?

129. What's the craziest joke you've ever made?

130. If we were to enter a competition together, which competition would we enter?

An icebreaker question for friends

Ice breaker questions for team meetings

We’ve talked about icebreaker questions you can use in the business world before. In addition to these, aren’t there any icebreaker questions you can ask in team meetings to increase productivity? Of course, there are, so let’s take a look together.

131. What was your weirdest meeting moment?

132. What do you think your team works best on?

133. What do you think strengthens teamwork the most?

134. What is the most essential trait you think all your colleagues should have?

135. What is the most potent trait you bring to your team?

136. If you could make a change in your work environment, what would you change?

137. What was the most surprising thing you learned about your teammates?

138. What would you change if you could change one thing about your team dynamics?

139. If your team had a superpower, what would it be?

140. What is the most minor but most effective thing that could boost team spirit?

141. What could we do to make this meeting more enjoyable?

142. Is there anyone on your team that you admire? Why?

143. What job would you like to do outside of your current job?

144. What would be the metaphor that best describes your working style within a team?

145. What is the funniest work story you've ever heard?

146. If everyone on your team had a nickname, what would yours be?

147. What would you like to do if we were to organize a team activity outside of work?

148. If the roles were reversed in the office for a day, whose job would you most like to do?

149. Where would you like to do what if you weren't working now?

150. Who is your teammate who drinks the most coffee?

151. What is the sentence you hear most often in meetings?

152. What would you want it to say if you had to say a slogan at the beginning of every meeting?

153. What words would you choose if you had to speak only 5 words in all daily meetings?

154. What do you think is the best part of virtual meetings?

155. What is the funniest or most ridiculous thing you wanted to say during the meeting but thought you would get fired?

156. If a cartoon were to be played during the meeting, what would you want it to be?

An icebreaker question for meetings

Ice breaker questions for small groups

No more worries about what to talk about when chatting with small groups. You can increase the efficiency of your conversation and strengthen your bond with icebreaker questions. Below, you can see examples of icebreaker questions you can ask in small groups:

157. If you could give everyone here one piece of advice, what would it be?

158. If you had to summarize the greatest strength of everyone in the group in one word, what would it be?

159. If this group were to start a business together, what would it be?

160. If you took the best qualities of everyone in the group and created one person, what would they be like?

161. What is the most significant commonality of this group?

162. If you were to share something new with the group today, what would you share?

163. What was the last thing that made you happy?

164. What was the most significant turning point in your life?

165. What is a hidden talent or skill you have?

166. How do you imagine your life in 20 years?

167. What was a movie or book that deeply affected you?

168. If you had a magic wand right now, what would you change?

169. What is the most extraordinary thing you have done recently?

170. What is it that you cannot forgive?

171. What are the 3 countries you most want to travel to?

172. Why are you happiest to be here right now?

173. What do you feel the luckiest about?

174. Who would you not want to be in this group?

175. If this group were to star in a movie, which movie would they best represent?

176. What would it be if you could give a message to the entire world for one day?

177. What would be an activity that your group would love to do together right now?

178. If the whole band were to win an award, which category would you win in?

179. If this band never got together again, what would you say to each other?

180. What could a future that includes the shared dream of the entire group look like?

An icebreaker question for small groups

Ice breaker questions for college students

Whether you want to understand college students better, conduct research that will get them involved, or want to have a fun and flowing conversation, here are some icebreaker questions for college students to help you do all of that and more:

181. What was the main factor in choosing your major?

182. What was the most different thing from what you thought when you came to university?

183. What is the most interesting and strange thing about university?

184. What is the thing you would never do in your university life?

185. What is the best word to describe your university experience?

186. What was the thing you dreamed of the most when you started university?

187. What is the most valuable thing that university life has brought you?

188. What change would you make to make your university years better?

189. What was the most surprising thing you learned when you started university?

190. What was your biggest fear when you started university?

191. What is your best advice for those just starting university?

192. What is your favorite activity on the university campus?

193. Where is your favorite place to hang out on or near campus?

194. Is there a strange tradition at your university? If so, what is it?

195. What is the most unusual thing you brought to university?

196. If you could live the life of another student for a day, who would you be and why?

197. What did you miss most about your hometown when you started university?

198. What is the club you find most ridiculous at your university?

199. What is your survival strategy during exam week?

200. If there was a talent specific to university students, what would it be?

201. If you were to receive an award while studying at university, which would you receive this year?

202. What will you miss most about university when you graduate?

203. What was the event that affected you the most in your university life?

204. What was the most challenging thing in your university life?

205. What did you add to yourself after starting university?

206. If your university life were an elephant, which would it be?

207. What is the food you will miss the most from the university cafeteria?

208. If you could bring any celebrity to give a guest lecture, who would it be?

209. Do you stay up all night in the library during exam week or start studying an hour before the exam?

210. If you could replace a professor, which one would you want to replace?

211. If you could remove one of your courses from the curriculum, which one would you remove?

212. What do you wish you had known before starting college?

213. Would you instead write a 20-page essay or take a 3-hour final exam?

214. If you could complete your entire college education remotely, working, would you choose that?

215. Which class would you not want to miss, even if you had no grades or passing problems?

An icebreaker question for university

Ice breaker questions for kids

It is essential to be more careful when creating icebreaker questions for children. You should use clearer, simpler, and shorter expressions for them to understand and answer more quickly. In this sense, you can see examples of icebreaker questions for children that can inspire you below:

216. Which animal do you like the most, and why?

217. Which cartoon character would you like to be?

218. What is your favorite song?

219. If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

220. If you had a pet, which animal would you like to have?

221. Which game do you like to play the most?

222. What is your favorite dessert?

223. What was the last thing that made you very happy?

224. What do you like to do the most with your family?

225. Do you like playing outside or watching cartoons?

226. Which activity do you like to do the most at school?

227. Do you like summer vacation or winter vacation more?

228. Who makes you laugh the most?

229. What would you do first if you were invisible?

230. Would you like to grow up right away or stay a child forever?

231. If there was only one color in the world, which color would you choose?

232. Which of your mom or dad would you like to replace for a day?

233. Which superpower would you like to have?

234. If you met an alien, what would you ask him?

235. Would you rather have no homework or eat all the chocolate you want?

An icebreaker question for kids

Ice breaker questions for teens

Icebreaker questions are one of the most effective ways to encourage socialization. Because teens can be more shy or passive in this sense. Below, we have included icebreaker questions for teens. This way, you can strengthen social and friendship skills for teens:

236. What is your biggest dream for your future job?

237. What are you most grateful for so far?

238. What would you like to raise more awareness about?

239. What is the most critical ideal in your life right now?

240. What is your favorite subject and why?

241. What are you most proud of about yourself?

242. What is the thing that keeps you from socializing the most?

243. Is keeping up with popular culture important to you?

244. Would you still want to work if you didn't have to make money?

245. What is the skill or talent you most want to have?

246. What is the social media app you spend most of your time on?

247. Where would you live if you could live anywhere you wanted for a year?

248. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?

249. What would it be if you were to organize an event at school?

250. What would it be if you could only have one wish for the rest of your life?

251. What would be the first thing you would buy if you were rich?

252. If you could volunteer, what would you like to do?

253. What would it be if you had the power to eliminate a social problem in your community?

254. What song will you never forget, even after time has passed?

255. What is a website or mobile app that doesn't exist but you wish existed?

256. If you were to start a brand right now, which one would it be?

257. If you were to throw a party right now, where would you most want to do it?

258. If you were famous, why would you be famous?

259. If you were a video game character, which one would you be and why?

260. Which band would you like to be a member of?

261. What is a hobby you are passionate about?

262. If you could be a famous YouTuber or Instagram influencer for a day, who would you want to be?

263. What would it be if you were to send a message to the entire school?

264. What would the perfect vacation be like for you?

265. If you could live on a different planet for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

266. What was the last documentary/video you watched that impacted you?

267. What current event would you wish had never happened?

268. What would be the first story you would cover if you were a journalist?

269. What worries you most about the future?

270. Would you rather forget what you experienced one day or not remember it at all?

An icebreaker question for teens

Ice breaker questions for adults

Perhaps the most comprehensive icebreaker questions you can ask an adult are the same questions you can ask an adult that you would ask almost any audience. Below are some comprehensive examples of icebreaker questions for adults:

271. What was your dream job as a child?

272. What did you say you would never do when you grew up?

273. If you were to start your own business, what would it be?

274. What motivates you the most in life?

275. Which is the most meaningful friendship in your life?

276. Are you a reasonable observer?

277. What is the most fundamental characteristic that makes you who you are?

278. If you could go back in time, what would you change?

279. What is a life lesson you would like to share?

280. If you had the chance, would you still want to live this life?

281. What is the most critical question you ask someone when trying to get to know them?

282. What is a value that is important to you and why?

283. What is the most ridiculous moment you have experienced so far?

284. What is a challenge you have overcome recently?

285. What do you want to be known for professionally?

286. What was the event that made you feel the most unsuccessful?

287. What was the moment you were most proud of yourself?

288. What was the biggest lesson you learned in life?

289. What is the most embarrassing Google search on your phone?

290. What is the worst advice you have ever given?

291. Where is the most interesting place you have ever been?

292. What is the funniest moment you have experienced at work?

293. What was the funniest thing that happened to you that no one believed?

294. If you could go back in time, would you choose the same profession again?

295. What would change if you could live a completely independent life from where you are now?

296. What was the most interesting food you have ever tasted?

297. What was your biggest childhood dream?

298. If you could go back to your childhood today, what would be the first thing you would do?

299. What was your favorite thing to do as a child?

300. Has a book or movie influenced your perspective on life?

301. Who would it be if you could only talk to one person for the rest of your life?

302. What would it be for if you had infinite patience for one thing?

303. Would you rather have a house by the ocean or a mountain cabin?

304. If you were to do a complete digital detox for a day, how would you spend your day?

305. What would you miss most about your current life?

306. Is there anything you rebelled against as a child?

307. What was a popular place or local hangout that you frequented as a child?

308. What do you miss the most lately?

309. What is an activity that gives you a sense of pure escape?

310. What was the last thing you did that gave you childish joy?

311. What cartoon did you wake up early to watch when you were little?

312. Is there a food that reminds you of your childhood?

313. What was the scariest thing about growing up when you were a kid?

314. What did you believe in as a kid that was completely wrong?

315. What word did you always say wrong when you were little?

316. What is your favorite family tradition?

317. Which person in your family tells the funniest stories?

318. What is the most important thing you learned from your family?

319. Which family member were you most afraid or intimidated by as a child?

320. What aspect of your family makes you the proudest?

321. What was the most peaceful moment you spent with your family?

322. What is your biggest goal right now?

323. What is one thing you would like to change about the world?

324. What is your philosophy?

325. What is your favorite weekend activity?

326. Would you rather be a child or an older adult for the rest of your life?

327. What is your favorite way to relax?

328. Who is the person who has influenced you the most in life, and why?

329. Would you rather be able to use only one social media app forever or eliminate all social media apps?

330. What would it be if you were to enter a talent show with your family?

An icebreaker question for adults

“Have you ever” thought-provoking icebreaker questions

With this last interesting topic, we have added various questions you can ask your target audience about their experiences. You can create an engaging and thought-provoking conversation about things they have never done before. Get ready to encounter many engaging experiences!

331. Have you ever completely changed your mind about something important?

332. Have you ever questioned your core beliefs?

333. Have you ever taken a risk that changed your life dramatically?

334. Have you ever met someone who completely changed your perspective on life?

335. Have you ever had to make a decision that everyone else was against?

336. Have you ever learned a lesson that you will never forget?

337. Have you ever forgiven someone who hurt you deeply?

338. Have you ever felt completely out of your comfort zone?

339. Have you ever felt completely lost in a moment?

340. Have you ever found yourself brave when you least expected it?

341. Have you ever had a dream that felt real?

342. Have you ever had an overwhelming sense of déjà vu?

343. Have you ever felt a strong connection to a place you have never visited?

344. Have you ever been embarrassed in a crowded place?

345. Have you ever pretended to know something even though you did not know it?

346. Have you ever had to make a tough ethical decision?

347. Have you ever had to compromise your values ​​for the greater good?

348. Have you ever had an idea that felt genuinely groundbreaking?

349. Have you ever gotten the lyrics wrong and learned them years later?

350. Have you ever been genuinely proud of something you created?

351. Have you ever wished you lived in a different era?

352. Have you ever had an experience where you were a complete failure but learned so much?

353. Have you ever felt like you touched someone's life?

“Have you ever had” question

How to create an icebreaker poll with forms.app (no coding)

You can easily create your own icebreaker poll by following these 5 steps:

1. Log in or sign up for forms.app: You must first create an account using the forms.app’s poll maker to create ice breaker polls.

Open your forms.app account

2. Choose a way to start: To start creating an icebreaker poll from scratch, click the Create Form button. You can also use poll templates or get help from forms.app AI to create your polls.

Choose a way to start

3. Add your questions: Decide whether you want to apply icebreaker polls to such a small group, children, or adults. Once you choose a template that fits your goals, you can add your application form questions accordingly.

Add you poll questions

4. Customize the poll design: Change it however you like. The design field offers many options for styling your icebreaker poll design. You can easily select a theme and change colors. 

Style your poll

5. Share your poll with your audience: Share your poll on popular social media platforms. Also, copy your poll link and share it with your audience via SMS, email, or a QR code they can scan with their mobile devices for easy access.

Share your poll

Conclusion

People can be nervous and shy, especially when communicating with people they have just met in a new environment. As the name suggests, icebreaker questions help you break the ice and create a more relaxed, fun, and friendly conversation environment. They help strengthen communication among participants in many settings, from business meetings to gatherings among friends.

Our primary goal was to provide a comprehensive, expert perspective on icebreaker questions. We established the psychological basis, provided 350+ segmented questions for maximum utility, and demonstrated how to implement this list to create high-engagement surveys easily.