zero-sum

adjective

ze·​ro-sum ˈzir-(ˌ)ō-ˈsəm 

ˈzē-(ˌ)rō-

: of, relating to, or being a situation (such as a game or relationship) in which a gain for one side entails a corresponding loss for the other side

dividing up the budget is a zero-sum game

Did you know?

Does game theory sound like fun? It can be—if you are a mathematician or economist who needs to analyze a competitive situation in which the outcome is determined by the choices of the players and chance. Game theory was introduced by mathematician John von Neumann and economist Oskar Morgenstern in their 1944 book The Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. In game theory, a zero-sum game is one, such as chess or checkers, where each player has a clear purpose that is completely opposed to that of the opponent. In economics, a situation is zero-sum if the gains of one party are exactly balanced by the losses of another and no net gain or loss is created; however, such situations in real life are rare.

Examples of zero-sum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In some ways, a lot of people see it as a zero-sum game – as computation and technical skills and STEM eclipsing those old disciplines of art, and culture, and language. —John Werner, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

Unlike partisan politics, trade wars aren’t zero-sum. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025

Will these deals focus on equalizing tariff rates – a process that many, if not most, of the affected countries seem ready to undertake? Or will new, zero-sum U.S. trade rules apply? —Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2025

Automation doesn’t have to be zero-sum—if implemented thoughtfully, perhaps robots can make work easier, more efficient, and more fun, too. —IEEE Spectrum, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zero-sum

• nodosum
• overcome
• pyrethrum
• saccharum
• abomasum
• become
• checksum
• humdrum
• income
• outcome
• succumb
• therefrom

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