zero-sum

adjective

ze·​ro-sum ˈzir-(ˌ)ō-ˈsəm How to pronounce zero-sum (audio)
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. (Such situations are rare.)

Examples of zero-sum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 2020, four times more men than women died by suicide in the U.S. Only when men and women work hand in hand to dismantle a system that doesn’t work well enough for either, will the ever-damaging zero-sum game give way to a more nurturing narrative that supports the fulfillment of all genders. Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 That zero-sum trade off is particularly acute in places where few new homes are being built. Calmatters, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2024 Voting isn’t merely a zero-sum game that ends with the winners crowing over their victory and the losers slinking away in defeat. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 Physical heritage sites are infamously contentious—consider Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas, or the Old City of Jerusalem—and their very singularity leaves them susceptible to zero-sum conflicts. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Beijing’s Marxist-Leninist rulers, who regard power as zero-sum, may consider this a price worth paying—especially if China ultimately emerged as the world’s leading chip producer. Andrew S. Erickson, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2024 Show more On the eve of the four-month anniversary of Hamas’ terror attack against Israel that set off the latest round of fighting, Israelis increasingly see the war’s goals as a zero-sum game in which freeing the hostages and defeating Hamas are diametrically opposed. Marin Scott, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 The zero-sum game mentality that stokes the fear of irrelevance in the dominant group and alienates people with diverse backgrounds through tokenism has created a polarization in DEI work. Julie Kratz, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 People close to Trump have a zero-sum view of the economy, in which every job taken by someone born outside the United States is a job taken away from someone born here. Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zero-sum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zero-sum was in 1944

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near zero-sum

Cite this Entry

“Zero-sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero-sum. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!