Meaning & use
social game
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
an online game that people play with friends or other users, often through social media or a mobile app.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a social game' or 'social games'. It is not the same as a board game or a video game played alone.
Patterns
- play a social game
- a social game on something
- a social game for something
She spends hours playing a social game on her phone with her cousins.
The company makes social games that let you compete with your Facebook friends.
Many social games are free but earn money through in-app purchases.
nouncountable
an activity or game played in a group mainly to meet people and have fun, not for serious competition.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural 'social games' for a category of light group activities.
Patterns
- a social game for a party
- play social games
The club organizes social games like trivia and charades.
At the picnic, they played simple social games to help everyone mix.
Word forms
| plural | social games |
|---|
Common combinations
- play a social game
- He likes to play a social game with his friends online.
- a social game on Facebook
- FarmVille was a popular social game on Facebook.
- a social game for parties
- They bought a social game for parties that gets everyone talking.
Synonyms and how they differ
- online game
- This is broader and includes games played alone or with strangers; a social game specifically involves friends or social interaction.
- party game
- This usually means a game played at a party in person, not an online game.
Word family
- social gaming noun
- The activity or industry of playing or making social games.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'social game' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Answer 0 fits because a social game is an online game played with others. The other options misuse the phrase for serious competition, math, or a meeting.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “social game”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.