Idiom
change the game
Meaning
To revolutionize a field of endeavor.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“This new software will change the game for our office.”
“This cheap electric car changes the game for many families.”
“The invention of the smartphone changed the game for how people communicate and access information every day.”
“The young athlete's unique training style changed the game for everyone else in the league who wanted to win.”
“When the chef started using local ingredients instead of expensive imports, he changed the game for the neighborhood restaurant scene.”
“By introducing a sustainable energy source that was both affordable and efficient, the researchers effectively changed the game for the entire global power industry.”
Examples
simple
“This new software will change the game for our office.”
“This cheap electric car changes the game for many families.”
contextual
“The invention of the smartphone changed the game for how people communicate and access information every day.”
“The young athlete's unique training style changed the game for everyone else in the league who wanted to win.”
“When the chef started using local ingredients instead of expensive imports, he changed the game for the neighborhood restaurant scene.”
complex
“By introducing a sustainable energy source that was both affordable and efficient, the researchers effectively changed the game for the entire global power industry.”
Origin
Probably from the late 20th century, the phrase is thought to originate in the context of team sports. It refers to the specific capacity of a substitute player, introduced late in a match, to alter the eventual outcome through a fresh contribution to the field. While a popular explanation, the transition from the literal sporting substitution to the broader metaphorical usage remains undocumented.
Key words
Related idioms
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