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
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Recent Examples of games
After losing the first two games of a first-place Palomar League showdown, playing poorly in the second game and losing by 12 runs, Mission Hills High School baseball coach Griffin Teisher said his team had one thing on its mind.
—
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Some are backing away from exclusionary discipline like suspensions and expulsions and have embraced schoolwide approaches that reward positive behavior and provide social skills practice through games and role-playing.
—Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
After falling down, 1-2, the Knicks went on to outscore them by 96 over their last three games.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Mariners starter Emerson Hancock, who had just six walks in his first six games, gave up three walks in the fourth inning.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Every Division 1 team will have at least two playoff games this season.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Minnesota improved to 5-0 in PWHL elimination games with the win.
—Staff Report, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
An epic comeback and an epic bounce defined two games that forced Game 7s on Friday night.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 2 May 2026
Blake Bowen hit a home run in all three games.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Some are backing away from exclusionary discipline like suspensions and expulsions and have embraced schoolwide approaches that reward positive behavior and provide social skills practice through games and role-playing.
—Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
After falling down, 1-2, the Knicks went on to outscore them by 96 over their last three games.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Mariners starter Emerson Hancock, who had just six walks in his first six games, gave up three walks in the fourth inning.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Every Division 1 team will have at least two playoff games this season.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Minnesota improved to 5-0 in PWHL elimination games with the win.
—Staff Report, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
An epic comeback and an epic bounce defined two games that forced Game 7s on Friday night.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 2 May 2026
Blake Bowen hit a home run in all three games.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for games
Noun
-
The expansion of the NCAA men’s’ and women’s basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams, starting in March 2027, has been criticized by several prominent figures around the sport, including long-time ESPN analyst Dick Vitale.—
Gary Bedore
May 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
In the past, Warren and Bianchi took any opportunity to go to Bianchi’s family trailer at Normandy Farms Campground – cornhole tournaments, softball tournaments, volleyball tournaments – and would spend a night or two nights just hanging out.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Liverpool have revised plans to increase ticket prices following protests and lengthy discussions with the club’s supporters’ board.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Letter writer blames sister-in-law for brother’s non-Jewish funeral plans.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
In contrast, the licensing bodies governing dozens of other professions in California, including doctors, nurses, police officers and lawyers, make the reasons that disciplinary actions were imposed easily accessible on their websites.—
Holly McDede,
ProPublica,
12 May 2026
-
For many, this may create an entry point into professions that might otherwise feel out of reach, especially for those balancing financial responsibilities or family commitments.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
People such as López often act as unwanted eyes and ears in resource-rich areas of Latin America, the most deadly region in the world for environmentalists, according to the nongovernmental organization Global Witness.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Wharton’s ability to punch the ball into attacking areas from deep is the skill that sets him apart.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The 2-2 draw halted San Diego’s five-match losing streak in MLS play, but stretched its winless run across all competitions to nine matches.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
The Lions have scored multiple goals in four consecutive games across all competitions.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s leaving businesses across industries scrambling to reconfigure their supply chains and come up with strategies to offset the disruptions, according to the latest business surveys from the Institute for Supply Management.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
-
Törnberg’s research showed that, while numerous platform-level intervention strategies have been proposed to combat these issues, none are likely to be effective.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 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
-
In the first Mortal Kombat film, Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han) seeks to eliminate Earth's champions ahead of the ultimate tournament between realms.—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
There was some interesting stuff in my mom’s boyfriend’s closet, but no gateways to other realms.—
Mac Barnett,
Longreads,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/games. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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