Game — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈgām/

Meaning & Definition of Game

Game (noun)

  1. a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other
  2. a division of a larger contest
  3. the manner of playing in a contest

Game (adjective)

  1. willing or ready to proceed
  2. having or showing a resolute unyielding spirit
  3. of or relating to game
  4. being a body part and especially a limb that is usually permanently impaired in function

Game (verb)

  1. to manipulate, exploit, or cheat in (a system, a situation, etc.) slyly or dishonestly for personal gain
  2. to play video games
  3. to play for a stake, gamble

Game (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize

    "decided he would indulge in a friendly basketball game with his friends before dinner"

    similar: bout, competition, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes, tournament, tourney
    related: athletics, sport, battle, conflict, scrimmage, skirmish, struggle, tug-of-war, tussle, championship, national(s), final, nightcap, play-off, semifinal, derby, field day, gymkhana, open, outing, biathlon, decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon, triathlon, marathon, race, ultramarathon, heat, round, run, set, rally, volley, round-robin, rubber, runoff, sudden death, dead heat, photo finish, seesaw, classic

  2. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "the crook told his accomplice, Here's the game: look surprised when the police ask about the money"

    similar: arrangement, blueprint, design, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, road map, scheme, strategy, system
    related: collusion, conspiracy, plot, contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, counterplan, counterstrategy, means, tactic, technique, way, procedure, protocol, conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s), aim, intent, intention, purpose, diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

  3. an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously

    "there's no need to get upset, all our teasing is only a game"

    similar: fun, jest, play, sport
    related: facetiousness, flightiness, flippancy, frivolity, frivolousness, frothiness, levity, light-mindedness, silliness
    opposite: earnest
    near: earnestness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity

  4. the activity by which one regularly makes a living

    "stand-up comedy is his game, and he's one of a handful of people making a decent living at it"

    similar: calling, employment, lay, line, occupation, profession, trade, vocation, work
    related: call, lifework, business, enterprise, field, livelihood, living, métier, racket (slang), assignment, engagement, gig, mission, art, craft, handcraft, handicraft, appointment, berth, billet, office, place, position, post, situation, duty, function, job, load, task, workload
    near: avocation, hobby, pursuit

  5. a region of activity, knowledge, or influence

    "the education game simply was no longer of interest to her"

    similar: area, arena, bailiwick, barony, business, circle, demesne, department, discipline, domain, element, fief, fiefdom, field, firmament, front, kingdom, line, precinct, province, realm, specialty, sphere, terrain, walk
    related: frontier, study, subject, territory, turf, occupation, profession, pursuit, racket, vocation, ambit, amplitude, breadth, compass, confine, dimension(s), extent, ken, reach, scope, sweep, width, subfield, subspecialty

Game (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having a desire or inclination (as for a specified course of action)

    "are you game for going out tonight?"

    similar: amenable, disposed, fain, glad, inclined, minded, ready, willing
    related: predisposed, prone, accommodating, agreeable, compliant, cooperative, obedient, obliging, submissive, favorable, receptive, prepared, prompt, quick, responsive, swift, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited
    opposite: disinclined, unamenable, unwilling
    near: averse, loath, reluctant, reticent

Related Entry: Game plan (noun)

Game plan is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for game plan, not for game.

  1. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "what's our game plan for touring the city?"

    similar: arrangement, blueprint, design, game, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, road map, scheme, strategy, system
    related: collusion, conspiracy, plot, contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, counterplan, counterstrategy, means, tactic, technique, way, procedure, protocol, conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s), aim, intent, intention, purpose, diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

Related Entry: Game plans (noun)

Game plans is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for game plans, not for game.

  1. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "what's our game plan for touring the city?"

    similar: arrangements, blueprints, designs, games, ground plans, master plans, plans, programs, projects, road maps, schemes, strategies, systems
    related: collusions, conspiracies, plots, contrivances, devices, gambits, maneuvers, ruses, stratagems, subterfuges, tricks, counterplans, counterstrategies, means, tactics, techniques, ways, procedures, protocols, conceptions, ideas, projets, proposals, specifications, specifics, aims, intentions, intents, purposes, diagrams, formulas, layouts, maps, patterns, platforms, policies, recipes, setups

Related Entry: Ball game (noun)

Ball game is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for ball game, not for game.

  1. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "I'm still in this ball game, so don't count me out yet"

    similar: battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, contest, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes, tug-of-war, war, warfare
    related: horse race, nail-biter, showdown, clash, collision, discord, friction, argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension, quarrel, row, wrangle
    near: concord, harmony, peace

  2. position with regard to conditions and circumstances

    "with the new regulations in place, investors are facing a whole new ball game"

    similar: deal, footing, picture, posture, scene, situation, status, story
    related: rank, standing, place, spot, state, score, status quo

Related Entry: Shell game (noun)

Shell game is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for shell game, not for game.

  1. an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value

    "it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game"

    similar: bunco, con, fiddle (chiefly British), flimflam, fraud, hustle, scam, sting, swindle
    related: cross, fix, Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme, racket, rip-off, thimblerig, three-card monte, device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, gouging, overcharging, soaking, counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony, sham

Related Entry: Name of the game (phrase)

Name of the game is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for name of the game, not for game.

  1. the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is

    "The name of the game in learning to play an instrument is practice, practice, practice."

    similar: being, essence, essentiality, nature, quiddity, quintessence, soul, stuff, substance
    related: heart, spirit, alpha and omega, center, core, keynote, marrow, pith, seat, embodiment, epitome, incarnation, manifestation, personification, aspect, attribute, feature, property, gist, kernel, nub

  2. something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

    "The manager said the name of the game this quarter is high profits across the board."

    similar: aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne, design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing
    related: grail, holy grail, plot, project, scheme, desire, hope, mind, wish, nirvana, destination, terminus
    near: means, method, way

Related Entry: Made game of (verb)

Made game of is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for made game of, not for game.

  1. as in picked on

    similar: picked on, baited, hassled, hazed, heckled, needled, rode, taunted, teased

Related Entry: Make game of (verb)

Make game of is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for make game of, not for game.

  1. as in pick on

    similar: pick on, bait, hassle, haze, heckle, needle, ride, taunt, tease

Related Entry: Makes game of (verb)

Makes game of is a different word from Game. The synonyms below are for makes game of, not for game.

  1. as in picks on

    similar: picks on, baits, hassles, hazes, heckles, needles, rides, taunts, teases

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Game

The most common words with a similar meaning to Game:

bout, competition, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes, tournament, tourney, arrangement, blueprint, design, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, road map, scheme, strategy, system, fun, jest, play, sport, calling, employment, lay, line, occupation, profession, trade, vocation, work, area, arena, bailiwick, barony

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Game

Words with the opposite meaning of Game:

earnest, disinclined, unamenable, unwilling

Related Words for Game

athletics, battle, conflict, scrimmage, skirmish, struggle, tug-of-war, tussle, championship, national(s), final, nightcap, play-off, semifinal, derby, field day, gymkhana, open, outing, biathlon, decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon, triathlon, marathon, race, ultramarathon, heat, round, run

Near Antonyms of Game

earnestness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity, avocation, hobby, pursuit, averse, loath, reluctant, reticent

Word Forms of Game

Inflections: gamed, gaming, games

Derived words: gamelike (adjective), gamely (adverb), gameness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Game

Middle English game, gamen "delight, amusement, play, contest, pursuit of animals in sport," going back to Old English gamen, gomen "amusement, jest, pastime," going back to Germanic *gamano- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German gaman "amusement," Old Norse gaman "sport, amusement"), of uncertain origin

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Game

Words & Phrases Containing Game

game ball, game bird, game changer, game face, game fish, game hen

Frequently Asked Questions about Game

What does "Game" mean?

"Game" means a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Game"?

Other words for "Game" include bout, competition, contest, event, match, matchup, meet and sweepstakes. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Game" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Game"?

There are 226 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Game". Common alternatives include bout, competition, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes, tournament and tourney.

What is the opposite of "Game"?

Antonyms of "Game" include earnest, disinclined, unamenable and unwilling. Near antonyms include earnestness, gravity, seriousness and soberness.

How do you use "Game" in a sentence?

Examples of "Game" in a sentence: "decided he would indulge in a friendly basketball game with his friends before dinner"; "the crook told his accomplice, Here's the game: look surprised when the police ask about the money"; "there's no need to get upset, all our teasing is only a game".

Is "Game" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Game" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Game" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Game" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Game"?

"Game" is pronounced /ˈgām/.