# for the love of the game

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/for-the-love-of-the-game
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Doing something for one's own enjoyment or other intrinsic desire to do so; not for other reasons such as money or other ulterior motives.

## Examples

- He plays basketball for the love of the game.
- She spends every weekend painting in her small studio simply for the love of the game.
- Despite the lack of fame or financial reward, the dedicated musician continued to perform for the love of the game.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.