game

Fetched 2026-10-27 (live).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Noun

1. A playful or competitive activity. A playful activity that may be unstructured; an amusement or pastime.
   • Being a child is all fun and games.
   • Games in the classroom can make learning fun.
   • Sally won the game.
   • They can turn the game around in the second half.
   • Game, set and match!
   • In short whist, five points are game, while in in table tennis game is 21 points.
   • See also: for the win
   • Some of the games in the closet we have on the computer as well.
   • Study can help your game of chess.
   • Hit the gym if you want to toughen up your game.
2. A playful activity that may be unstructured; an amusement or pastime.
   • Being a child is all fun and games.
3. An activity described by a set of rules, especially for the purpose of entertainment, often competitive or having an explicit goal.
   • Games in the classroom can make learning fun.
4. A school subject during which sports are practised.
5. A particular instance of playing a game.
   • Sally won the game.
   • They can turn the game around in the second half.
6. Part of a set during which one player continuously serves (at least four rallies must be won to win a game, at least six games must be won to win the set).
   • Game, set and match!
7. That which is gained, such as the stake in a game.
8. The number of points necessary to win a game.
   • In short whist, five points are game, while in in table tennis game is 21 points.
   • See also: for the win
9. In some games, a point awarded to the player whose cards add up to the largest sum.
10. The equipment that enables such activity, particularly as packaged under a title.
    • Some of the games in the closet we have on the computer as well.
11. One's manner, style, or performance in playing a game.
    • Study can help your game of chess.
    • Hit the gym if you want to toughen up your game.
12. Ellipsis of video game.
13. A field of gainful activity, as an industry or profession.
    • When it comes to making sales, John is the best in the game.
    • He's in the securities game somehow.
    • The rapper bragged about how he ran the game.
14. The music industry.
    • The rapper bragged about how he ran the game.
15. Something that resembles a game with rules, despite not being designed.
    • In the game of life, you may find yourself playing the waiting game far too often.
16. An exercise simulating warfare, whether computerized or involving human participants.
17. A questionable or unethical practice in pursuit of a goal.
    • You want to borrow my credit card for a week? What's your game?
18. Wild animals hunted for food.
    • The forest has plenty of game.
19. A flock of swans, especially as kept for hunting purposes (or, originally, a group of any animals kept for such purpose).
20. The ability to seduce or woo someone, usually by strategy.
    • He didn't get anywhere with her because he had no game.
21. Lovemaking, flirtation.
22. Prostitution. (Now chiefly in on the game.)
23. Mastery; the ability to excel at something.
24. Diversion, entertainment.

Adjective

1. Willing and able to participate.
2. That shows a tendency to continue to fight against another animal, despite being wounded, often severely.
3. Persistent, especially in senses similar to the above.

Verb

1. To gamble.
2. To play card games, board games, or video games.
3. To exploit loopholes in a system or bureaucracy in a way which defeats or nullifies the spirit of the rules in effect, usually to obtain a result which otherwise would be unobtainable.
   • We'll bury them in paperwork, and game the system.
4. To perform premeditated seduction strategy.

Adjective

1. Injured, lame.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.