mind game
15
7.2
- noun
- /maɪnd ɡeɪm/
:
juego mental
- She tried to play mind games.
- play mind games
- stop playing mind games
- try to play mind games
Yeah, it's, it's, it's like a mind game is being played on them.
- Yeah, it's, it's, it's like a mind game is being played on them.
- I thought they were just playing mind games and they were actually telling me the truth.
- Who's the craftiest fighter you've ever faced when it comes to the dark arts of playing mind games?
- But enough with the mind games, and finally, some good news for people who love soap operas.
- No game plan, none of that mind games over here.
- I don't know, Senior year is playing mind games on me.
- So that that kind of, I guess, mind game against a guy like that, against the mother who've seen it all, done it all.
Examples
-
I thought they were just playing mind games and they were actually telling me the truth.
-
I don't expect everyone to cope with the mind games that come with deep undercover work.
-
If she was only ignoring you to play mind games with you, she'll see that you're not willing to play.
Blog text (10) -
I'm sure Spradling will benefit by being free from Frank's mind games, but it remains to be seen what kind of ceiling he really has.
Blog text (3) -
"Andrew Carlisle was a master at mind games, Mr. Lazarus," Diana answered.
Fiction book (2000) -
In competitive sports, athletes often resort to mind games to throw off their opponents.
-
He used mind games to manipulate the outcome of the negotiation, leaving his rival confused and frustrated.
-
During the chess tournament, she realized her opponent was playing mind games to distract her from her strategy.
Synonyms
85
4.9
A clever trick used to gain an advantage in talk or negotiation
8
8.2
Using clever but not clearly against the rules moves to get an advantage in a game or competition
2
8.6
A trick to confuse or upset someone
2
7.8
A contest using pressure and fear to weaken the other side without physical fighting
A plan to control people by tricking them
A clever, hidden way to persuade someone by making them think or feel differently
Antonyms
How Manipulative
- Specialized
8
7.0
130
5.5
15
7.2
85
4.9
516
3.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound links 'mind' (mental processes) with 'game' (a maneuver or contest), so a learner who knows both words can probably infer that it refers to a mental/psychological maneuver. However, the specific nuance of deliberate manipulation or intimidation is metaphorical and not fully predictable without exposure, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Mind game likely comes from the image of someone 'playing' with another person's mind, moving words and hints like pieces in a game to confuse or scare them. That's why it means 'a trick to confuse or control someone'.