zero-sum game

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. a game in which the sum of the winnings and losses of the various players is always zero, the losses being counted negatively.

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zero-sum game British  

noun

1. (in game theory) a contest in which one person's loss is equal to the other person's gain

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zero-sum game Scientific  

1. A game in which the sum of the winnings by all the players is zero. In a zero-sum game, a gain by one player must be matched by a loss by another player. Poker is a zero-sum game if the house does not take a cut as a charge for playing.

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zero-sum game Cultural  

1. A game in which the winnings of some players must equal the losses of the others. Zero-sum games are mentioned in a political context when it is believed that resources are limited, and every decision will produce both winners and losers. In such situations, political decisions will be made on the basis of trade-offs between competing interests.

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Etymology

Origin of zero-sum game

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Asset allocation, Currie emphasized, is a zero-sum game: “You cannot be overweight everything.”

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

It’s a zero-sum game for filmmakers and viewers alike, who would both do well to recognize the inherent value in surprise.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

These won’t change the fact that housing remains a zero-sum game.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

It’s not necessarily a zero-sum game between the two companies.

From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025

The credit default swap was a zero-sum game.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis