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
Purdy missed eight of the first 10 games with a toe injury, Kittle was out six with hamstring and ankle injuries, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk went AWOL after a 2024 knee injury.
—
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Though the Heat is returning home for three games, Miami won’t be heavily favored to win any of them.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Kittle dealt with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss five of the first six games of the 49ers’ regular season games.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Before Sunday, Kittle (7), Warner (11), Bosa (15), Purdy (8), Brandon Aiyuk (17), Ricky Pearsall (8) and first-round pick Mykel Williams (8) combined to miss 74 games.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The Knicks had lost five of their previous six games.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
Viktor Arvidsson had been in the thick of everything in the first two games of the homestand, but had not been rewarded with a tally.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Fernandez has featured 16 times for Chelsea this season, and has played 79 games for club and country since the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
The Jayhawks are 8-19 in road games in five seasons under Leipold.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for games
Noun
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His father, Chris, a longtime broadcaster for Swedish station SVT, has worked 20 of the tournaments.—
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Before coming to Minnesota this year, the World Juniors title had been won by either Canada or the United States for the previous six tournaments.—
Noun
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Secure loose outdoor items and adjust plans as necessary so you're not caught outside.—
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CrowdStrike fell more than 3% Thursday after management announced plans to buy identity management startup SGNL in a $740 million deal.—
Noun
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Post, a lawyer, said other professions, such as attorneys and psychologists, have confidentiality rules like those of priests and pastors, but there is a difference between them.—
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Respected people in their professions.—
Noun
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Some might have expected Declan Rice alone to win those headers or harass the opposition in that manner, but the partnership between these two is about more than just Zubimendi allowing the England midfielder to burst into goalscoring areas.—
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Motorists should be alert for sudden changes in visibility due to the areas of dense fog.—
Noun
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De Laurentiis took all the chaos in stride and was the expert judge for the cooking portion of the outrageous lineup of competitions.—
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The Midwest's best winter fests include big-city ice-carving competitions as well as cozy small-town gatherings.—
Noun
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Lightweight luggage, versatile clothing, and clever carry-on strategies that anticipate the little headaches most travelers overlook.—
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Despite over a century of investigation, there is still no cure, but advances in diagnostic tools, treatments and preventive strategies continue to offer hope for slowing the disease and improving quality of life for patients and caregivers.—
Noun
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Invest in fiction written by humans and so support human creativity, vocations, and organic economies?—
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While their vocations may seem contradictory, their love is born in faith, rooted in romance, and is much more than meets the eye.—
Noun
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This annual showcase is tied to Rolling Stone‘s annual Future of Music issue, our look at what’s new and what’s next in all realms of music.—
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Beyond this period, 2026 can bring many blessings in the realms of career, finance, creativity, innovation, protection, love, and family.—
Cite this Entry
“Games.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/games. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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