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. (Such situations are rare.)
Examples of zero-sum in a Sentence
Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
This is a power-struggle narrative, a zero-sum game.
—Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
But Finger described their efforts as a zero-sum game.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Ultimately, Beyoncé’s exactitude demands exact feelings, which might explain the zero-sum mania that continues to surround her.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Nothing has changed since then; time remains zero-sum.
—Lisa Conn, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
In 2020, four times more men than women died by suicide in the U.S.
Only when men and women work hand in hand to dismantle a system that doesn’t work well enough for either, will the ever-damaging zero-sum game give way to a more nurturing narrative that supports the fulfillment of all genders.
—Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024
That zero-sum trade off is particularly acute in places where few new homes are being built.
—Calmatters, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2024
Voting isn’t merely a zero-sum game that ends with the winners crowing over their victory and the losers slinking away in defeat.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zero-sum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near zero-sum
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“Zero-sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero-sum. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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