Definition

1. Noun:
   • An electronic game played by manipulating images on a video display or television screen: A "video game" is a game involving interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a device such as a TV, monitor, or handheld screen. The reference context simplifies this as "a game played against a computer," which is a common but not exclusive form.

Usage

• The term "video game" is a countable noun. It refers to the software program itself or the activity of playing it.
• It is typically used with verbs like , , , , or .
• Example: /

Examples

• Noun:
  • My favorite video game was released last year.
  • They spent the afternoon playing a cooperative video game.
  • The history of the video game industry is fascinating.

Advanced Usage

• "to be/become a video game": Used metaphorically to describe a real-life situation that feels structured like a game with rules, levels, or objectives.
  • With all its challenges and power-ups, his startup journey felt like a video game.
• In formal contexts like academic or industry writing, "video game" is the standard term, though "game" is often used as a shorthand within the field.

Variants and Related Words

• Gaming (n): The broader activity of playing video games.
  • Online gaming has become a major form of entertainment.
• Game (n): A more general term for any form of play or sport, which can include video games.
  • We analyzed the narrative structure of the game.
• Console game (n): A video game played on a dedicated gaming console.
• PC game (n): A video game played on a personal computer.
• Arcade game (n): A coin-operated video game typically found in public venues.

Synonyms

• Computer game: A very close synonym, though it may specifically emphasize games played on a PC.
• Digital game: A broader term that can include games on any digital platform.
• Interactive entertainment: A more formal, industry-term that encompasses video games.

Related Phrases

• Video game console (n): The physical hardware system used to play video games.
  • The new video game console sold out immediately.
• Video game developer (n): A person or company that creates video games.
• Video game addiction (n): A compulsive overuse of video games.

Idioms

• It's not a video game: An idiom used to emphasize that a real-world situation is serious and has real consequences, unlike a game where one can simply restart.
  • Be careful with those chemicals; this is a lab, it's not a video game.

Noun

1. a game played against a computer