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• A game
  A game

  noun

  a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.
• 'A' game
  'A' game

  noun

  one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

A game

American  

Or A-game,

noun

Informal.

1. a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.

   The candidate brought her A game to the debate.

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'A' game British  

noun

1. informal one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

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Etymology

Origin of A game

In reference to a sports contest, with the letter A indicating peak performance

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

A game 'A' game

"A game can't happen without two kits that distinguish the sides, and when you realise you can collect those, you think, I'm actually collecting pieces of a club's history."

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

A game of energetic ping-pong unfolded underneath the gallery’s fluorescent light, beams of identification, recollections or stabs of grief bouncing off each piece in the exhibition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

The game was only confirmed as going ahead late on Monday night after the Islamabad government made a U-turn on its order to boycott the blockbuster Group A game.

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

Opener Sahibzada Farhan hit a robust half-century to help Pakistan post 190-9 in their T20 World Cup Group A game against United States in Colombo on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

“All of you, back to your cabins. Get some sleep. A game well played, but curfew is past!”

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

An ‘A’ game from the Lakers in Denver?

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026

"I know I'm going to have to play my 'A' game, my best level I've ever played if I want to have a chance against him."

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2023

It’s got to be your ‘A’ game to have a chance.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 5, 2021

“Being around a player like Philip Rivers, you got to come with your ‘A’ game as a coach every single day because there is not too many things that that guy hasn’t seen,” Sirianni said.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2021

“We didn’t bring our ‘A’ game, both offensively and defensively,” Ewing said.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 20, 2021

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