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

Nintendo released its Wii platform in North America, allowing gameplay through traditional controls or motion sensing controls. 2007: Amazon started selling the Kindle, an electronic reader. —Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 19 Nov. 2024

Gaming performance is solid and the 15.6-inch display renders gameplay in crisp 1080p. —Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 11 Nov. 2024

This revelation sped up gameplay as the correct cards were whittled down much more quickly during play. —Rob Wieland, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Again, the bigger the group, the more dynamics at play, which means more potentially explosive gameplay. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 2