gameplay

noun

game·​play ˈgām-ˌplā 

variants or game play

plural gameplays or game plays

1

: the characteristic way in which the action of a game (such as a video game) occurs or is experienced

Each game is cleanly done with smooth gameplay and colorful graphics.

—Joe Hindy

Featuring intuitive and addictive gameplay, the game is a lovely distraction from the troubles of the day.

—Amy Davidson

The unique game play led to players adopting all sorts of interesting strategies for getting a high score.

—Jeff Fulton and Steve Fulton

2

: the practice or activity of playing games (such as board games, card games, or video games) : gaming sense 2

Unlike the vast majority of previous studies on the effect of video games on wellbeing, the Oxford team were able to track actual gameplay, rather than relying on self-reported estimates.

—Alex Hern

While not all card shufflers operate more quickly than manual shuffling, in general, a card shuffler speeds up gameplay.

—Allen Foster

… a gaming chair that also massages your back, features an adjustable headrest and has an ergonomic design that allows for hours and hours of game play.

—Heather Quinlan

Examples of gameplay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And despite the gameplay and unpredictability down the stretch, that is kind of what happened. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024

The mode is , which is great as more people get to experience the thrill of matches in CS and Valorant without the hardcore gameplay mechanics. —Rahul Majumdar, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Levels have either a sci-fi or fantasy theme with it; each has a different kind of gameplay mechanic, and both girls have their own special traversal abilities. —George Yang, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2024

There are other gameplay and bug fixes set to go live tomorrow as well. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 2