early/late in the game

idiom

: at an early/late time in a game or sport

She scored a goal early in the game.

—often used figuratively

It's too late in the game to change the date of the meeting.

She got into the computer industry early in the game.

Examples of early/late in the game in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thielen, the Panthers’ leading receiver of the past two seasons, showed up early in the game and did his trademark Griddy dance on home plate. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2025

Both contests were ones in which Oklahoma City held what felt like a very safe lead late in the game, only to result in a Thunder loss on a shot in the final seconds. —Nick Crain, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025

Ravensbrück was also liberated very late in the game. —Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 4 June 2025

Somehow, with a lead so late in the game, Barcelona’s defenders were left four-on-five at the back, with the covering midfield not even in the frame. —The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 2 June 2025