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mind games

American

plural noun

psychological manipulation or strategy, used especially to gain advantage or to intimidate.

mind games British

plural noun

actions or statements intended to undermine or mislead someone else, often to gain advantage for oneself

she started playing mind games with me

"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

Etymology

Origin of mind games

1970–75

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.

Joshua was not playing along with any mind games, though.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Does it make a difference or is it just mind games?

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

For the next several hours, Nick and Honey serve as unwitting pawns in the older couple’s clever, but vicious, mind games.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

Mourinho has been infamous for his emotional pre-match mind games throughout his career.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2025

“Of course. Of course. I know Fred’s weaknesses. I’ve studied his fears. I know how to play mind games and make him mess up so much they’ll be begging for you to come back!”

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023