game

game

noun

Definition of GAME

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>

Synonyms bout, competition, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tournament, tourney

Related Words 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”>

Synonyms arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, program, project, road map, scheme, strategy, system

Related Words 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>

Synonyms game, jest, play, sport

Related Words facetiousness, flightiness, flippancy, frivolity, frivolousness, frothiness, levity, light-mindedness, silliness

Near Antonyms earnestness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity

Antonyms earnest

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>

Synonyms calling, employment, game, lay, line, profession, trade, vocation, work

Related Words call, lifework; business, enterprise, field, livelihood, living, métier (also metier), 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 Antonyms avocation, hobby, pursuit

5

a region of activity, knowledge, or influence <the education game simply was no longer of interest to her>

Synonyms area, arena, bailiwick, barony, business, circle, demesne, department, discipline, domain, element, fief, fiefdom, firmament, front, game, kingdom, line, precinct, province, realm, specialty, sphere, terrain, walk

Related Words 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