war game

American  

noun

Military.

1. a simulated military operation, carried out to test the validity of a war plan or operational concept: in its simplest form, two opposing teams of officers take part, and when necessary, military units of the required strength are employed.

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war game British  

noun

1. a notional tactical exercise for training military commanders, in which no military units are actually deployed

2. a game in which model soldiers are used to create battles, esp past battles, in order to study tactics

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verb

1. (intr) to prepare for battle by considering possible tactics and enemy responses

Etymology

Origin of war game

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

US Army trucks were left at the Bandiana base in 2023 after an Australian war game involving US troops held every two years.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026

“They shouldn’t be the rope in this tug of war game that’s going on,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2025

He says the bombs that sound in the distance are part of an elaborate war game, and that no matter what happens, he will keep them safe.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2023

The warplane flights Sunday near Taiwan were described in Chinese state media as “record-breaking,” and coincided with a major war game exercise around the island that included 20 PLA naval vessels.

From Washington Times • Sep. 18, 2023

The Pentagon was in the earliest stages of planning for a war game that they were calling Millennium Challenge ’02.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• dress rehearsal
• tryout