Mind Game (Noun)
Meaning 1
Any game designed to exercise the intellect.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- Solving Sudoku puzzles is my favorite mind game to pass the time during long trips.
- She enjoys playing chess as a mind game to improve her critical thinking skills.
- The escape room was an intense mind game where participants had to solve clues to win.
- He thinks of crosswords as a relaxing mind game to calm his mind before bed.
- The new virtual reality experience combines physical challenges with mental mind games.
Meaning 2
Deliberate actions of calculated psychological manipulation intended to intimidate or confuse (usually for competitive advantage); "football players try to play mind games with the opposition"; "the jeweler's mind game is to convince lovers that the size of a gemstone reflects the depth of their feelings".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The salesperson's clever mind game of offering discounts to customers when they were about to leave the store resulted in a significant increase in sales.
- The politician used a mind game of denying any wrongdoing and then counter-attacking, turning the tables on her accusers and shifting public opinion.
- During the championship game, the tennis players were engaged in a series of mind games, trying to psych each other out with different noises and body language.
- By offering fake 'limited time offers' and creating a sense of urgency, marketers play a mind game that makes customers more likely to make spontaneous purchases.
- The villain's plan to kidnap the hero's family and threaten their lives was an evil mind game intended to break the hero's will and force him to surrender.