game plan
Americannoun
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a carefully thought-out strategy or course of action, as in politics, business, or one's personal affairs.
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Sports. the overall strategy of a team for winning a specific game.
noun
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a strategy
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a plan of campaign, esp in politics
Etymology
Origin of game plan
First recorded in 1965–70
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.
"You feel for Arbeloa - his game plan was excellent, but a couple of moments cost Real Madrid."
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
“Of the three people that would potentially make the call,” Marlins director of pitching Bill Hezel said, “only one of them has the actual game plan directly in front of him.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
One of the WNBA’s founding franchises, the failure-ridden Sparks enter the league’s 30th season attempting to break a five-year playoff drought with an understandable yet unremarkable game plan.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
In other words, that this was his game plan all along.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026
“Let’s write the right game plan and then execute it.”
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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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.