# game

/ˈɡeɪm/ (US) · /ɡˈeɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/game
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. sport or play

noun · CEFR A1

an activity or sport with rules that people play for fun or to win.

For teachers: a structured activity, often competitive, played for entertainment or as a professional sport according to specific rules.

- We played a long game of chess while waiting for the rain to stop.
- The championship game was delayed by several hours due to a technical failure in the stadium's floodlighting system.

### 3. business or profession

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a particular type of business, job, or way of life.

For teachers: a field of gainful activity, industry, or profession; often used with 'the' to describe a career path.

- He has been in the real estate game for over twenty years.
- If you want to succeed in the advertising game, you need to be prepared for long hours and constant rejection.

### 4. skill in seduction

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

the ability to be attractive or smooth when trying to start a romantic relationship.

For teachers: the ability to attract or seduce a romantic partner through social strategy and charisma.

- He thinks he has game, but his jokes are actually quite boring.
- The conversation focused on whether modern dating apps have fundamentally changed the way people use their social game to find partners.

### 5. to play video games

verb · CEFR B1

to play electronic games on a computer or console.

For teachers: to engage in playing video games or other interactive electronic media.

- He spent the whole weekend gaming with his friends online.
- Professional players often spend upwards of ten hours a day gaming to maintain their competitive edge in international tournaments.

### 6. to exploit a system

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to use the rules of a system in a clever or dishonest way to get what you want.

For teachers: to manipulate or exploit the rules of a system or bureaucracy to gain an unfair advantage.

- Some people try to game the system to pay less tax.
- The company was accused of trying to game the algorithm to ensure their products always appeared at the top of the search results.

### 7. willing

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

ready and willing to try something new or difficult.

For teachers: willing and eager to participate in an activity, especially one that is adventurous or challenging.

- If you want to go hiking at 5:00 AM, I am game.
- Despite the freezing temperatures, several members of the group were game for a quick swim in the lake.

### 8. injured leg

adjective · CEFR C2 · Informal · Dialect

used to describe a leg or arm that is hurt or does not work well.

For teachers: referring to a limb, especially a leg, that is injured, lame, or disabled.

- The old dog struggled to walk on his game leg.
- He walked with a noticeable limp, the result of a game leg he had suffered during his years working on the docks.

## Examples

- We like to play a board game every Friday night.
- The players shook hands at the end of the game to show respect for their opponents.
- While the physical demands of the game are significant, professional athletes often argue that the mental strategy required to outmaneuver an opponent is what truly determines the victor.

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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.