gameness
Americannoun
-
the quality of having a fighting spirit; courage or resolution; pluck.
The horse revealed his true gameness, coming up from behind after that early stumble.
-
the required enthusiasm or will to do something.
In a show of gameness, they tackled the icy path with shovels and picks.
noun
Etymology
Origin of gameness
First recorded in 1805–10; game 1 (in the adjective senses “plucky” and “enthusiastic”) + -ness ( def. )
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.
Too bad the weak body-swapping farce she’s given to play isn’t worthy of her gameness, a missed opportunity to fuse Lovecraft, Blake Edwards and Paul Verhoeven.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2023
And the passing of melodic themes between the chorus and the orchestra at the convergence of the finale was a breathtaking display of Britten’s compositional dexterity — and the BSO’s gameness.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 3, 2022
Somehow, that geometry never quite aligns, despite the gameness of the cast.
From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2022
Is gameness enough to elevate such shoddy material?
From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2021
He judged by the standards of the plains: namely, gameness, skill, resourcefulness; to him, there were no other standards.
From 'Me--Smith' by Hoskins, Gayle Porter
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.
