parlor game

noun

: a game suitable for playing indoors

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web This isn’t merely a post-election parlor game. —

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2020 Comparison here is just a parlor game. —

Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 24 Nov. 2021 Having gained popularity as a parlor game in 15th century Italy — though some have linked them to Mamluk playing cards from Turkey and mystical imagery from Egypt — tarot cards are now widely used for divination and include symbolism that reflect life’s lessons and challenges. —

NBC News, 30 Oct. 2020 When Larry McMurtry died in March 2021, predicting the fate of the bookstore and the thousands of books stacked inside became a routine parlor game. —

Ed Lavandera, CNN, 22 Feb. 2023 Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, this jaundiced parlor game is enhanced by a handsome production design and a cast that digs into its theatrical premise (and flashes of humor) with gustatory relish. —

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2022 Pre-modern capitalism had the air of a parlor game between the high and mighty, and was quite often in bad odor among rentier elites themselves. —

Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2010 Items on display include an Incan quipu, a 19th-century parlor game featuring characters from Charles Dickens novels and a clay tablet from 3000-2030 BC. —

Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2023 But Baker was optimistic: Rosetta would transform protein-folding prediction from a parlor game into legitimate science. —

Jonathon Keats, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parlor game.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.