Skip to main content
game

game

1.0
One part of a match in sports, played to win points
  • noun
  • /ɡeɪm/
translation icon : partido
  • This is the best game in town.
  • a football game
  • win the game
  • a basketball game

How do you feel like the game has changed from now?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • But you said I could stay and watch the next game with my friends.

  • And as a reward for winning the game, you get to sing.

  • OK, you join us now for a game of what happened next.

  • After that game he said, oh, good game Mike, right.

  • How do you feel like the game has changed from now?

  • And then the best, the best part of this game is online play.

  • Here, no matter how we play, the game ends in three moves.

  • OK, next one, let's have a game of basketball again.

  • "I made 17 points in that game," Suter says with a laugh.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The team celebrated their victory after winning the final game of the tournament.

Synonyms

match
vsgame
517 1.4

A game in which two teams or players compete

is also used for segments or points, not only full contests
competition
vsgame
396 2.3

An event where people or teams compete to win

is sometimes the smaller unit or segment within broader sporting events
round
vsgame
376 3.1

A set of visits to check people or places

is used more directly for either parts of play or whole contests
set
vsgame
277 2.9

One part of a match, for example in tennis

is the more general term for contests or their segments
3 2.7

A contest where athletes compete in sports such as running or jumping

can also mean a single segment or point within a larger event
1 2.5

A competition where people or teams compete in sports

covers single parts or segments as well as whole contests
athletic game
vsgame
2.3

A sport or contest that involves physical activity and skill

can also mean a smaller segment or point in play
3.7

A part of a game when play happens for a set time

also applies to whole contests or single scoring points, not only time blocks
3.6

A set time in a game or match when the action continues

is used more widely for contests, segments, or single points in sport

Idioms

To take part in a contest or activity by following the rules

Not taking part in an activity or competition

Returned to taking part after being away or having problems

In a better position because you act or prepare earlier than others

11 6.0

The most important thing in a situation or activity

To make a big difference in a situation that gives a clear advantage

skin in the game
  • Informal
10 5.3

A personal stake in something like money or reputation

8 7.9

To speak confidently about what you can do without proving it

7 4.1

An activity for fun that should not be taken personally

To stay focused and calm in a difficult situation

To defeat someone by using their own methods

on the game
  • Informal
3 8.2

Fully focused and ready to do your best

1 9.9

An activity that is foolish and unlikely to succeed

7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

off (one's) game
  • Informal
7.9

Not performing as well as usual in sport or work

on one's game
  • Informal
7.9

Doing something very well and showing your best skill

Play aggressively to attack the other team rather than defend

Compounds

277 1.0

A game you play by controlling pictures on a screen

121 1.0

A match where two teams try to score points by moving a ball into the other team's goal

71 3.7

A set of actions that helps a team or person reach a goal

65 1.1

A television program where people compete in games or quizzes to win prizes

62 1.0

A game between two teams where players hit a ball with a bat and run bases

A match between two teams of five players to score by throwing a ball through a high hoop

58 1.0

A game played with a ball, like baseball or football

53 2.7

A card game where players bet on having the best cards

50 2.3

An important sports event like a championship final that many people watch

45 1.7

A game where players move pieces on a board by following rules

43 1.1

A game played with playing cards, for example poker, that often needs skill or luck

41 2.3

A sports match played at a team's own stadium or field

39 5.2

An easy target for people to criticize or attack

32 1.0

Two teams play on ice using sticks to move a small puck into the other team's goal

30 2.8

A game that decides which team moves closer to winning the championship

28 2.0

A game played on a computer for fun or competition

running game
  • Specialized
28 3.8

A team's plan to move the ball mainly by running

passing game
  • Jargon
25 3.6

A series of plays in American football that move the ball by throwing to teammates

war game
  • Specialized
22 3.9

A practice where soldiers and commanders rehearse battle plans

blame game
  • Informal
17 4.8

People or groups say others caused a problem to avoid taking responsibility

16 2.0

A team game like baseball played on a smaller field with a bigger, softer ball

game face
  • Informal
15 6.5

A serious, focused look people make before a challenge

15 1.2

A sport on a large outdoor course where players use clubs to hit a small ball into holes

15 7.2

A trick people use to confuse or control someone to gain an advantage

15 1.7

The day when an important sports match happens

perfect game
  • Specialized
15 6.1

A baseball game where the pitcher allows no player from the other team to reach base

15 3.8

Large wild animals like elephants or lions that people hunt for sport

15 4.9

The activity a person is very good at

12 3.3

A sports match played for practice or fun that does not count in official results

11 3.0

A game where players make or find words by following rules, like crosswords

waiting game
  • Informal
11 4.7

A situation where people wait to see what others do to gain an advantage

11 2.0

A board game for two players who move pieces to trap the other player's king so it cannot move

10 3.4

A game where people try to find out what something is from small clues

9 2.7

A sports match played at the other team's stadium

An activity where luck decides the result, like a lottery or roulette

9 2.8

A sports match played at night under bright stadium lights

9 3.5

A sports game played at the opponent's place, not at home

A set of careful actions people use to gain power in politics

A situation where one person's gain is exactly another person's loss

8 1.2

An activity people do with guests to make a social event more fun

8 3.1

A video game with short, fast levels and simple controls that gets harder

7 1.4

A room with games like table tennis, pool, or video games for fun

game theory
  • Specialized
7 5.6

Study of how people choose actions when they compete or cooperate

6 3.0

A match that is very hard to win

con game
  • Informal
6 6.6

A dishonest trick that cheats people out of their money

5 3.8

A person who protects wild animals and enforces hunting and fishing rules

A game where two teams use their hands to hit a ball over a net to land on opponents' side

A strong enjoyment of playing a sport not for money or fame

4 3.9

A game people play indoors for fun at parties

A situation with very big risks and important results for people involved

4 8.8

A cheating street game where someone hides an object under cups and makes people guess where it is

crap game
  • Informal
3 8.0

A small group that plays the dice game craps for money

game time
  • Informal
3 2.7

The moment when an important activity is about to start

3 1.0

A simple game that children play for fun

A goal kicked near the end of a game that gives the team the win

head game
  • Informal
2 8.6

A trick to confuse or upset someone

An unofficial game played to improve skills and try new strategies

A dishonest trick that gains someone's trust to steal their money

A video game where players control teams to play football on a screen

2 4.9

A game or puzzle that makes you think and use your brain

2 2.8

The time shown on the clock while players compete

2 4.4

Wild animals like rabbits and pheasants that people hunt for food or sport

A video game that lets you play basketball on a computer, console, or phone

1 2.2

A sports game played during the day rather than at night

1 3.2

A bird like a pheasant that people hunt for food or sport

game fish
  • Specialized
1 5.0

A fish that people catch for sport, not for food or money

1 9.0

An illegal lottery where people bet on numbers to win money

1 2.6

A game played on a table like a board game or card game

1 7.0

A hockey penalty that removes a player for the rest of the game while the team may replace them

A match where two teams take turns to hit a ball and score runs

1 4.5

A situation where success depends on numbers or data more than on skill

A game where people bet money and can win or lose

1 3.0

A game people play on a marked court like tennis or basketball

How Long

tournament
745 1.8
match
517 1.4
game
1.0
set
277 2.9

Surface Forms

game singular
games plural

Etymology

Game as a part of a match comes from the same old word gamen for 'play'; a game is simply one unit of play in a larger contest. So in tennis a game is one segment of the match.