A game
Americannoun
noun
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
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt brought their A game, embracing method dressing without going overboard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
A game of bowling at Tenpin costs £38.50 making the total night out £212.50.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
Opener Sahibzada Farhan hit a robust half-century to help Pakistan post 190-9 in their T20 World Cup Group A game against United States in Colombo on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
A game of blackjack, on the other hand, is sensitive to its past.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
![]()
An ‘A’ game from the Lakers in Denver?
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026
“If you believe you can win with your ‘B’ game, your ‘A’ game shows up.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 18, 2023
"I know I'm going to have to play my 'A' game, my best level I've ever played if I want to have a chance against him."
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.