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  • A game
    A game
    noun
    a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.
  • 'A' game
    'A' game
    noun
    one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

A game

American  
Or A-game,

noun

Informal.
  1. a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.

    The candidate brought her A game to the debate.


'A' game British  

noun

  1. informal one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of A game

In reference to a sports contest, with the letter A indicating peak performance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A game called "Flappy Bill" features a bald eagle carrying a document in its claws that tries to avoid smashing into columns of various heights, against a background that resembles Washington DC.

From Barron's Sep. 4, 2026

A game that started at 17:00 local time finally ended at 20:47 because of safety concerns amid adverse weather conditions.

From BBC Jun. 23, 2026

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt brought their A game, embracing method dressing without going overboard.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 21, 2026

The game was only confirmed as going ahead late on Monday night after the Islamabad government made a U-turn on its order to boycott the blockbuster Group A game.

From Barron's Feb. 14, 2026

Lourdes, my older sister, Wants to play A game, a contest Of who can keep A hand in ice.

From "Neighborhood Odes" by Gary Soto

An ‘A’ game from the Lakers in Denver?

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 5, 2026

"We believe in ourselves. We believe can win. We just have bring our 'A' game to beat these guys."

From BBC May 21, 2025

If you think you need your ‘A’ game, your ‘B’ game turns up.

From Seattle Times Jul. 18, 2023

“We knew we had to bring our ‘A’ game for those guys, whatever that looked like,” Mt.

From Washington Post Mar. 6, 2023

It’s got to be your ‘A’ game to have a chance.

From Washington Times Dec. 5, 2021

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