war game

noun

, Military.

1. a simulated military operation, carried out to test the validity of a war plan or operational concept: in its simplest form, two opposing teams of officers take part, and when necessary, military units of the required strength are employed.

war game

noun

1. a notional tactical exercise for training military commanders, in which no military units are actually deployed
2. a game in which model soldiers are used to create battles, esp past battles, in order to study tactics

verb

1. intr to prepare for battle by considering possible tactics and enemy responses

Word History and Origins

Origin of war game¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

That month, he took part in a war game hosted by the Center for New American Security, a Washington-based research group.

From ProPublica

That is the lesson of a recent war game on Syria played out at the Brookings Institution.

From The Daily Beast

And I think her sons are mighty lucky chaps—especially just now that the war game's on.

From Project Gutenberg

Until that time she had been just a figure in the great war game that might provide me with something to 'write up' into a book.

From Project Gutenberg

The Germans call it Krug-spiel—which means war-game, and that term has been adopted all over the world.

From Project Gutenberg

Cutting the wire is legitimate, even in the war game, because it's necessary to do the actual cutting.

From Project Gutenberg

This money equipped and furnished the gymnasium in the tower, the room now devoted to the war-game.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dress rehearsal
• tryout