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  • A game
    A game
    noun
    a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.
  • 'A' game
    'A' game
    noun
    one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

A game

American  
Or A-game,

noun

Informal.

  1. a person’s best effort, abilities, or achievement.

    The candidate brought her A game to the debate.
'A' game British  

noun

  1. informal one's best possible performance, esp in the phrase to bring or take one's 'A' game

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of A game

In reference to a sports contest, with the letter A indicating peak performance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The game was only confirmed as going ahead late on Monday night after the Islamabad government made a U-turn on its order to boycott the blockbuster Group A game.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

He made his return to rugby in an England A game against France, but earned a red card for a high shot on Antoine Hastoy in the 34th minute.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Crawley has played eight one-day internationals, the last of which in West Indies in December 2023 was also his last List A game.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

A game of big runs, momentum shifts and high emotions needed a resolution in the renewal of an old rivalry.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2025

A game of darts which was going on at the other end of the room interrupted itself for perhaps as much as thirty seconds.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.