zero-sum

American  

[zeer-oh-suhm] / ˈzɪər oʊˌsʌm /

adjective

1. of or denoting a system in which the sum of the gains equals the sum of the losses.

   a zero-sum economy.

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Etymology

Origin of zero-sum

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

These won’t change the fact that housing remains a zero-sum game.

From The Wall Street Journal

Representing multiple entities in pursuit of the same pots of money is a zero-sum game.

From The Wall Street Journal

“To the victor nations go the spoils,” Anton wrote in a 2019 essay in Foreign Policy, crystallizing a worldview that sees international relations as zero-sum competition where might makes right.

From Salon

If investors start to see the race for AI supremacy as more of a zero-sum game, that could also create problems for indexes like the S&P 500, Thompson said.

From MarketWatch

It’s not necessarily a zero-sum game between the two companies.

From Barron's