the name of the game
noun phrase
informal
: the basic goal or purpose of an activity
When all is said and done, in business, profit is the name of the game.
Examples of the name of the game in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Juliet balconies and custom finishes are the name of the game at the Lake Oswego estate that was built in 1996.
—
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 20 May 2025
And score enough goals to win, which is the name of the game and much more important than style points.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 19 May 2025
This is a vision of the future where planets are corporate entities, and exploitation — extracting anything useful from said planets — is the name of the game.
—Nina Metz Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025
This makes sense in a line of work where exposition is the name of the game and there is a dogged thoroughness and a precision with terminology that suits the subject matter.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the name of the game
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 20 May 2025
And score enough goals to win, which is the name of the game and much more important than style points.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 19 May 2025
This is a vision of the future where planets are corporate entities, and exploitation — extracting anything useful from said planets — is the name of the game.
—Nina Metz Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025
This makes sense in a line of work where exposition is the name of the game and there is a dogged thoroughness and a precision with terminology that suits the subject matter.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the name of the game
Cite this Entry
“The name of the game.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20name%20of%20the%20game. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share