game-changer

American  

[geym-cheyn-jer] / ˈgeɪmˌtʃeɪn dʒər /

Or game changer

noun

1. Sports. an athlete, play, etc., that suddenly changes the outcome of a game or contest.

2. a person or thing that dramatically changes the course, strategy, character, etc., of something.

   Social media has been a real game-changer in the company’s marketing efforts.

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Other Word Forms

• game-changing adjective

Etymology

Origin of game-changer

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The bill’s swing at more construction and cheaper housing is “far from a game-changer, but it is a move in the right direction,” Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told Barron’s.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

VPNs can be a game-changer for sports fans looking to stream live sports matches.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

Immediate supply constraints might be eased slightly by the U.S. decision to allow the sale of Russian oil to India but this is not a game-changer, ING analysts Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

NewJeans, who became the eighth biggest-selling act in the world a year after their debut in 2022, were seen as a game-changer by critics for their blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

"Our approach is a complete game-changer because now you can actually identify a mantle earthquake purely based on the waveforms of earthquakes," said Wang.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026