1
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
decided he would indulge in a friendly basketball game with his friends before dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in plans
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective
the crook told his accomplice, "Here's the game: look surprised when the police ask about the money"
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in professions
the activity by which one regularly makes a living
stand-up comedy is his game, and he's one of a handful of people making a decent living at it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in areas
a region of activity, knowledge, or influence
the education game simply was no longer of interest to her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of games
The Trojans, who’ve lost four of their last five games, must beat Lamar University on Saturday to keep their season alive.
—
Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Pending the rest of the weekend’s games, Summit FC stands in eighth place in the NWSL ahead of a 35-day break.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Ward has played just nine games in left field for OKC this season.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Cameron Brink tied her season high with 16 points (14 in the first half), and Dearica Hamby added 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Sparks won for the fourth time in their past five games.
—Daily News, 30 May 2026
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Over the past five games she’s kicked it up another notch, with Kelsey Plum, Wilson and Caitlin Clark the only players in the WNBA averaging more than her 22 points per game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
More games — 104 in total — mean more tickets to sell, with prices rising to thousands of dollars for the best seats at the biggest matches.
—James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has produced numbers not seen at this stage of the postseason in roughly 50 years.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Pending the rest of the weekend’s games, Summit FC stands in eighth place in the NWSL ahead of a 35-day break.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Ward has played just nine games in left field for OKC this season.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Cameron Brink tied her season high with 16 points (14 in the first half), and Dearica Hamby added 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Sparks won for the fourth time in their past five games.
—Daily News, 30 May 2026
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Over the past five games she’s kicked it up another notch, with Kelsey Plum, Wilson and Caitlin Clark the only players in the WNBA averaging more than her 22 points per game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
More games — 104 in total — mean more tickets to sell, with prices rising to thousands of dollars for the best seats at the biggest matches.
—James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has produced numbers not seen at this stage of the postseason in roughly 50 years.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for games
Noun
-
In all, Mesa made 13 JUCO tournaments before transitioning to a four-year school.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Federer extends his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
And Patriot Front has plans to keep growing – fast.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
According to News 12, the 43-year-old reality star told VUE Magazine about his plans to enter the political sphere at their spring edition party on Thursday night.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Many of the Acts the Department administers have sunset provisions, which provide opportunities for the Department to work closely with our licensed professions and industries to make technical changes and language modernizations.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
On top of that, hiring demand has slowed in professions that typically attract advanced-degree holders, such as tech and finance.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
As previously mentioned, tough decisions will need to be made this summer around Romero, Vicario and Richarlison, but any money Spurs earn from potentially selling them can be reinvested in other areas of the squad.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
In winter, warm-season grass grows minimally or not at all in some areas.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Pressure is a privilege and, in our case, the players took those competitions seriously.—
Zach McMahon,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
The 23-year-old has performed when called upon in the cup competitions and was expected, before Donnarumma’s sudden arrival, to compete to be a starting Premier League goalkeeper.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Successful retirement planning requires preparing for these scenarios by maintaining diversified investments, adjusting withdrawal strategies, and planning for rising long-term expenses.—
David Kudla,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Edwards Lifesciences checks the boxes that matter most for our momentum strategies — solid fundamentals, a meaningful growth tilt and a stock price beginning to confirm the story that the business is telling.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Catholics represent about 29% of the population, and the country is a major source of growth and priestly vocations for the church.—
Claudio Lavanga,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The only solution for job seekers would be to specialize in vocations that AI cannot easily replicate, such as highly skilled trades, or to work in industries where consumers put a premium on human interaction.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Most of the month encourages you to rest, reflect and process what has been going on behind the scenes, especially since Cancer season brings focus to your (12th house) private life and subconscious realms.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
-
Some of these approaches require meticulous scholarship and technical proficiency; others, an attunement to the invisible realms of feeling and folklore.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/games. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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