gaming

1 of 2

noun

gam·​ing ˈgā-miŋ 

1

: the practice or activity of playing games for stakes : gambling

After a six-decade absence, casino gaming makes its return next month to this Southern Indiana valley, once famous for luxury resorts that attracted the nation's elite.

—Michael Rubino

In the same way, casino owners almost never refer to "gambling," which brings to mind damp basements and dice, but always "gaming," which suggests Whist or Scrabble enjoyed in front of a crackling fireplace.

—Wayne Curtis

—often used before another noun

the gaming industry

2

: the practice or activity of playing games (such as board games, card games, or video games)

online/mobile/PC gaming

When most people think of computer gaming, they envision some things that aren't exactly politically correct. Things like blazing lasers, spattering blood and beheaded aliens. However, Internet gaming really does offer something for everyone.

—Kim Komando

—often used before another noun

You can get curved gaming monitors too, for added immersion in certain games.

—Jon Martindale

After looking through the gaming options, we decided on Quick Draw—a game that gives one participant a word to draw, while the other callers try to guess what the word is.

—Becca Miller

gaming

2 of 2

present participle of game entry 3

Examples of gaming in a Sentence

Noun

He does a lot of gaming online.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Central colleague cafes provide complimentary premium coffee and beverages, while gaming lounges with puzzles and tabletop games offer opportunities for hands-on breaks from screens. — Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026

Even if some of the social media gripes about 2K27 reflect broader cynicism of today’s world than 2004—Reddit didn’t even exist then—the financial data shows where gaming companies are now inspired to focus their energy. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 4 Sep. 2026

The device’s lab figures include up to 40 hours of video playback, 24 hours of navigation, and 21 hours of gaming. — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026

From gaming to crypto Before crypto, Fung started his career in media and entertainment, with a focus on gaming. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

game entry 1 or game entry 3 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1501, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gaming

• tabletop gaming

Rhymes for gaming

• aiming
• blaming
• claiming
• flaming
• framing
• laming
• maiming
• naming
• shaming
• taming
• declaiming
• defaming

Kids Definition

gaming

noun

gam·​ing

ˈgā-miŋ

1

: the practice of gambling

2

: the acting out of a situation (as war) for training or testing

3

: the playing of video games