zero-sum
adjective
Did you know?
Does game theory sound like fun? It can be—if you are a mathematician or economist who needs to analyze a competitive situation in which the outcome is determined by the choices of the players and chance. Game theory was introduced by mathematician John von Neumann and economist Oskar Morgenstern in their 1944 book The Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. In game theory, a zero-sum game is one, such as chess or checkers, where each player has a clear purpose that is completely opposed to that of the opponent. In economics, a situation is zero-sum if the gains of one party are exactly balanced by the losses of another and no net gain or loss is created; however, such situations in real life are rare.
Examples of zero-sum in a Sentence
Hannah Rae Armstrong, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Hyper-partisanship has paralyzed legislative action, turning every issue into a zero-sum battle rather than a matter of institutional duty.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
His zero-sum view of the world affords little patience for the churn and friction and provocation that actually make for good art.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
People who want to move, and can’t, grow more cynical, more pessimistic, more inclined to see the world as zero-sum.
—Rachel Cohen, Vox, 18 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Zero-sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero-sum. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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