zero-sum
adjective
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
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Both major parties reinforced this retreat—the right celebrating individual freedom from government, the left emphasizing group rights against majorities—casting democracy as a zero-sum competition rather than a collaborative enterprise.
—Trygve Throntveit, Time, 27 May 2026
The innovation race is not a zero-sum game, but its outcome determines who will define the standards and security of the 21st century.
—Imran Khalid, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
This is the opposite of zero-sum thinking.
—Big Think, 7 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Zero-sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero-sum. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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