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game

game

∞ 1.0
One part of a match in sports, played to win points
  • noun
  • /ɡeɪm/
: 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?

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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

round
vsgame
863 3.1

A set of visits to check people or places

is used more directly for either parts of play or whole contests
competition
vsgame
579 2.3

An event where people or teams compete to win

is sometimes the smaller unit or segment within broader sporting events
match
vsgame
504 1.4

A game in which two teams or players compete

is also used for segments or points, not only full contests
set
vsgame
53 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
2 2.5

A competition where people or teams compete in sports

covers single parts or segments as well as whole contests
athletic game
vsgame
1 2.3

A sport or contest that involves physical activity and skill

can also mean a smaller segment or point in play
1 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
1 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

Idioms

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

Not taking part in an activity or competition

42 4.1

An activity for fun that should not be taken personally

Returned to taking part after being away or having problems

18 6.0

The most important thing in a situation or activity

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

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

skin in the game
  • Informal
11 5.3

A personal stake in something like money or reputation

9 7.9

To speak confidently about what you can do without proving it

on the game
  • Informal
5 8.2

Fully focused and ready to do your best

To defeat someone by using their own methods

To stay focused and calm in a difficult situation

1 9.9

An activity that is foolish and unlikely to succeed

1 7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

1 8.1

Play aggressively to attack the other team rather than defend

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

Compounds

402 1.0

A game you play by controlling pictures on a screen

156 1.0

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

110 2.3

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

80 1.0

A game played with a ball, like baseball or football

80 1.0

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

79 3.7

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

77 1.1

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

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

58 2.7

A card game where players bet on having the best cards

53 5.2

An easy target for people to criticize or attack

53 2.3

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

49 1.7

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

40 1.1

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

39 1.0

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

running game
  • Specialized
36 3.8

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

34 2.8

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

33 2.0

A game played on a computer for fun or competition

33 7.2

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

war game
  • Specialized
29 3.9

A practice where soldiers and commanders rehearse battle plans

game time
  • Informal
26 2.7

The moment when an important activity is about to start

passing game
  • Jargon
25 3.6

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

23 1.7

The day when an important sports match happens

23 4.9

The activity a person is very good at

20 1.2

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

20 2.0

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

blame game
  • Informal
19 4.8

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

game face
  • Informal
18 6.5

A serious, focused look people make before a challenge

18 3.8

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

17 2.8

A sports match played at night under bright stadium lights

pre-game
  • Informal
16 5.4

A small meeting of friends before a party or sporting event to drink and get ready

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

perfect game
  • Specialized
14 6.1

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

14 1.4

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

14 3.4

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

13 3.5

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

13 3.3

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

waiting game
  • Informal
13 4.7

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

12 4.5

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

12 3.1

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

12 6.4

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

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

12 3.0

A match that is very hard to win

10 8.8

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

10 1.2

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

9 2.7

A sports match played at the other team's stadium

9 3.0

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

game theory
  • Specialized
8 5.6

Study of how people choose actions when they compete or cooperate

7 3.8

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

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

7 3.9

A game people play indoors for fun at parties

con game
  • Informal
7 6.6

A dishonest trick that cheats people out of their money

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

An unofficial game played to improve skills and try new strategies

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

5 2.0

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

head game
  • Informal
5 8.6

A trick to confuse or upset someone

crap game
  • Informal
5 8.0

A small group that plays the dice game craps for money

4 2.6

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

4 1.0

A simple game that children play for fun

4 2.2

A sports game played during the day rather than at night

3 4.9

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

A game where people bet money and can win or lose

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

3 4.4

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

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

2 3.2

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

game fish
  • Specialized
2 5.0

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

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

1 7.0

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

1 2.1

A game played outside that involves active play, like soccer or hide-and-seek

A sport or contest that involves physical activity and skill

1 2.5

An outdoor team game played on a large marked grass or turf area like football

Team sport with two 11-player teams trying to move the ball into the other end zone by running or passing

How Long

tournament
465 1.8
match
504 1.4
game
∞ 1.0
set
53 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.