game day

noun

variants or less commonly gameday

ˈgām-ˌdā 

plural game days also gamedays

: the day on which a particular sports team plays a game

Scan the parking lot of any sports arena on game day and you're sure to see a flock of pickup trucks and SUVs hosting a big party of tailgaters.

—Joe Bruzek

Even on game days, whether you're starting or not, if your name's on the list, you have a job to do.

—Julie Foundy

[Coach Chris] Jans and his players have both pondered the gap between gamedays and training, and why the positive attitude and strong weeks of practice haven't shown up on court when the lights turn on …

—Colin Damms

These 13 game day snacks are the kind you can rely on whether folks are dropping by early or sticking around longer than planned.

—Jenn Allen

Gameday traditions, including tailgating and the pregame experience, are an important part of what makes Michigan State football gamedays special.

—J Batt

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

Dress in your favorite game-day attire.

—Lauren Cheramie

Examples of game day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The third-year receiver has been impressed with the way McCord has gone about his backup duties and now wants to step up for him on game day. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026

Examples might be offering a customer a free round of drinks on their 10th visit or pulling in local sports fans by running a watch party on game day. — Diana Olick, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026

Laird has a friendly competition with coworkers playing the mobile block puzzle game Block Blast, while chief financial officer Matteo Anversa plans to take his game day off to play Forza on a simulation racing rig. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026

The offensive line might look slightly different, but the preparation even with a short week ahead of game day hasn’t changed. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above