word game

American

noun

any game or contest involving skill in using, forming, guessing, or changing words or expressions, such as anagrams or Scrabble.

word game British

noun

any game involving the formation, discovery, or alteration of a word or words

"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

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.

Fox News played the same word game, with Lara Trump saying women can continue “having independent pursuits of their own” while also having a family — which happens to be what feminism has always advocated.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

“Tonight” host Jimmy Fallon is producing a pilot based on the popular New York Times word game.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

Nichol said that it was always "glorious" to spend time with Dame Maggie, and said they would spend time between takes playing the word game Bananagrams.

From BBC • Sep. 28, 2024

An overachieving math and science nerd as a child, he also loved playing the word game Mad Libs by himself.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2024

Barry changed book to hidden book, and also added the word game to his search list.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

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