game

[ geym ]

/ geɪm /

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See synonyms for: game / gamed / gamer / games on Thesaurus.com

noun

an amusement or pastime: children's games.

the material or equipment used in playing certain games: a store selling toys and games.

a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.

a single occasion of such an activity, or a definite portion of one: the final game of the season; a rubber of three games at bridge.

the number of points required to win a game.

the score at a particular stage in a game: With five minutes to play, the game was 7 to 0.

a particular manner or style of playing a game: Her game of chess is improving.

anything resembling a game, as in requiring skill, endurance, or adherence to rules: the game of diplomacy.

a trick or strategy: to see through someone's game.

something treated lightly or lacking in seriousness; sport: That's enough of your games! When I was young, love was just a game to me.

wild animals, including birds and fishes, such as are hunted for food or taken for sport or profit.

the flesh of such wild animals or other game, used as food: a dish of game.

any object of pursuit, attack, abuse, etc.: The new boy at school seemed to be fair game for practical jokers.

Informal. a business or profession: He's in the real-estate game.

Archaic. fighting spirit; pluck.

adjective, gam·er, gam·est.

pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.

having a fighting spirit; plucky.

Informal. having the required spirit or will (often followed by for or an infinitive): Who's game for a hike through the woods?

verb (used without object), gamed, gam·ing.

to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.

Digital Technology. to play computer or video games.

verb (used with object), gamed, gam·ing.

to squander in gaming (usually followed by away).

to manipulate to one's advantage, especially by trickery; attempt to take advantage of: The policy is flawed and many people try to game the system.

OTHER WORDS FOR game

3 sport, contest, competition.

9 scheme, artifice, stratagem, plan, plot.

11, 13 prey, quarry.

17 brave, bold, intrepid, dauntless, fearless.

See synonyms for game on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about game

die game,

to die after a brave struggle.
to remain steadfast or in good spirits at the moment of defeat: He knew that as a candidate he didn't have a chance in the world, but he campaigned anyway and died game.

make game of, to make fun of; ridicule: to make game of the weak and defenseless.

off one’s game,

Sports. playing badly: The pregame trash talk from our rivals was meant to throw us off our game, but we rose above it.
not performing as well as usual: The showrunner and her writers are off their game, and episodes this season drag on without the humor and lightness fans had come to expect.

on one’s game,

Sports. playing well: You need to recruit experienced players who will be on their game coming straight off the bench.
performing well, or as well as usual: She’s been noticeably sharper and really on her game since she came back from vacation.

play games, to act in an evasive, deceitful, manipulative, or trifling manner in dealing with others: Don't play games with me—I want to know if you love me or not!

play the game, Informal.

to act or play in accordance with the rules.
to act honorably or justly: We naively assumed that our allies would continue to play the game.

talk a big / good game, to make exaggerated claims or promise extraordinary results:The PR team talks a big game, but revenue for their department has been flat for three years running.

Origin of game

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun game, gam, gamme “joy; pleasure; sport; hunting,” Old English gaman, gomen; cognate with Old High German gaman “glee”

synonym study for game

See play.

OTHER WORDS FROM game

game·less, adjectivegame·like, adjectivegame·ness, nounun·game·like, adjective

Words nearby game

gambol, gambrel, gambrel roof, Gambrinus, gambusia, game, gamebag, game-ball, game bird, gamebreaker, gamecast

Other definitions for game (2 of 2)

game²

[ geym ]

/ geɪm /

adjective

lame: a game leg.

Origin of game

First recorded in 1775–85; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT GAME

What does game mean?

A game is an activity for amusement, particularly with rules that guide the action, like musical chairs.

A game is also the materials needed to play certain games, such as a checkerboard and disks for playing checkers.

A game is also a competitive activity, like football, or a single occasion of the activity.

To game is to play computer or video games or to gamble.

To game is used figuratively to mean to cheat or manipulate to one’s advantage.

Example: I have never been to a game that was this slow and boring.

Where does game come from?

The first records of the term game come from before the year 1000. It ultimately comes from Old English gaman and thought to be related to Old High German, meaning “glee.” While not every game is fun, the goal is usually amusement.

Game is most often used to refer to an activity meant to be entertaining. Related senses include “number of points to win a game,” “the score at a particular point in the game,” and “a particular style of playing a game.”

Informally, game can refer to a required spirit for an activity, as in Who’s game for trying the new Indian restaurant? Informally, it can also refer to a business or profession, as in The dictionary game is a lot of fun if you love words!

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to game?

gameless (adjective)
gamelike (adjective)
gameness (noun)
ungamelike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for game?

What are some words that share a root or word element with game?

What are some words that often get used in discussing game?

How is game used in real life?

Games are supposed to inspire amusement, but games can be taken very seriously.

Ready to cover an NBA playoff game … on Thursday, Aug. 20 … at 1 p.m. This feels weird.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) August 20, 2020

Michael Jordan never lost a first-round game when his team was the 1 seed

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) August 19, 2020

Shout out to all the community managers out there that are having really awkward meetings today with their higher-ups about why they should put their logo on a bean in a video game for $130k lol

— Fall Guys (@FallGuysGame) August 18, 2020

Try using game!

Is game used correctly in the following sentence?

Deb’s game is to convince Ron that he is a good painter, even though he’s not.

How to use game in a sentence

Still, the game of chicken between Pelosi and moderate Democrats is striking.
Trump moves closer to Pelosi in economic aid talks, and House speaker must decide next move|Rachael Bade, Erica Werner|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The output of a restaurant cannot be defined in numbers or data like a game.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame|Rafael Tonon|September 17, 2020|Eater
“We’re using this as an opportunity to really understand our game at a higher level,” McCutchen said.
Don’t Blame The Refs For All Of These Replay Reviews|Jared Dubin|September 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Hahn’s comments — and his later apology — affirmed the idea that politics was seeping into the work of health officials who are supposed to be above playing that game.
The Trump administration’s politicization of coronavirus comes to a head|Aaron Blake|September 16, 2020|Washington Post

When you write him off as being past his prime, he might just respond with a game like Sunday’s vintage performance — 364 yards, 73 percent of passes completed, four touchdowns and zero interceptions — against the Minnesota Vikings.
Aaron Rodgers Is Playing Like Aaron Rodgers Again|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|September 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
This is going to be the Game of Thrones of U.S. Senate races.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Dora is seen getting dressed as a mermaid by a cursor being manned by some omniscient game player.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Think of it as Game of Thrones—if you subtract the sex and violence and add drunken revelry and singing.
‘Galavant’: A Drunken, Horny Musical Fairy Tale|Melissa Leon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Actually, the guessing game is over; the weddings have begun, as have weird attempts to circumvent our constitutional democracy.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When the game starts, there is only sand, a white ball, a flag indicating hole 1, and a “0” at the top of the screen.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And to tell the truth, she couldn't help wishing he could see, so he could make the game livelier.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Jean clung to his English nurse, who played the fascinating game of pretending to eat his hand.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Two many-branched candelabra, holding wax lights, brilliantly illuminate the game.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The unhappy applicant was naturally obliged to temporarily retire from the game, at all events for that night.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
His head fell back limp on MacRae's arm, and the rest of the message went with the game old Dutchman across the big divide.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for game (1 of 2)

game¹

/ (ɡeɪm) /

noun

an amusement or pastime; diversion

a contest with rules, the result being determined by skill, strength, or chance

a single period of play in such a contest, sport, etc

the score needed to win a contest

a single contest in a series; match

(plural; often capital) an event consisting of various sporting contests, esp in athleticsOlympic Games; Highland Games

equipment needed for playing certain games

short for computer game

style or ability in playing a gamehe is a keen player but his game is not good

a scheme, proceeding, etc, practised like a gamethe game of politics

an activity undertaken in a spirit of levity; jokemarriage is just a game to him

wild animals, including birds and fish, hunted for sport, food, or profit
(as modifier)game laws

the flesh of such animals, used as food: generally taken not to include fish

an object of pursuit; quarry; prey (esp in the phrase fair game)

informal work or occupation

informal a trick, strategy, or deviceI can see through your little game

obsolete pluck or courage; bravery

slang, mainly British prostitution (esp in the phrase on the game)

give the game away to reveal one's intentions or a secret

make game of or make a game of to make fun of; ridicule; mock

off one's game playing badly

on one's game playing well

play the game to behave fairly or in accordance with rules

the game is up there is no longer a chance of success

adjective

informal full of fighting spirit; plucky; brave

game as Ned Kelly or as game as Ned Kelly Australian informal extremely brave; indomitable

(usually foll by for) informal prepared or ready; willingI'm game for a try

verb

(intr) to play games of chance for money, stakes, etc; gamble

Derived forms of game

gamelike, adjective

Word Origin for game

Old English gamen; related to Old Norse gaman, Old High German gaman amusement

British Dictionary definitions for game (2 of 2)

game²

/ (ɡeɪm) /

adjective

a less common word for lame 1 game leg

Word Origin for game

C18: probably from Irish cam crooked

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with game

game

In addition to the idioms beginning with game

game is not worth the candle, the
game is up, the
game that two can play, that's a

also see:

ahead of the game
at this stage (of the game)
badger game
beat someone at his or her own game
call someone's bluff (game)
confidence game
end game
fair game
fun and games

give away (the game)losing battle (game)name of the gameonly game in townplay a waiting gameplay gamesplay the gamewaiting gamewhole new ball game.

game

OTHER WORDS FOR game

Idioms about game

Origin of game

synonym study for game

OTHER WORDS FROM game

Words nearby game

Other definitions for game (2 of 2)

Origin of game

MORE ABOUT GAME

What does game mean?

Where does game come from?

Did you know … ?

How is game used in real life?

Try using game!

Words related to game

How to use game in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for game (1 of 2)

Derived forms of game

Word Origin for game

British Dictionary definitions for game (2 of 2)

Word Origin for game

Other Idioms and Phrases with game