Phrase guide

game over

noun · phrase · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: /ˌɡeɪm ˈəʊ.və(ɹ)/
  • US: /ˌɡeɪm ˈoʊ.vɚ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An appearance of a game over message.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: video-games

Examples

  • When you die too many times in this game, you get a game over.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

phrase

Meaning 2

A message signaling that the game has ended, usually because the player failed (for example by losing all of their lives) but sometimes following successful completion of the game.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

phrase

Meaning 3

The end of some ongoing situation, especially in failure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Examples

  • If your wife finds out about us, it's game over!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

phrase

Meaning 4

Death.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Examples

  • When you have cancer, you pretty much have two options: chemotherapy, or game over.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To receive a 'game over' message.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, rare

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To deliver to someone a 'game over' message.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare, transitive

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

The message originated on pinball machines and has been very widely used in video games.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِنْتَهَت اللُّعْبَة (intahat al-luʕba) — message
  • Azerbaijani: oyun bitdi — message
  • Bulgarian: играта свърши (igrata svǎrši) — message
  • Chinese Mandarin: 游戲結束 /游戏结束 (yóuxì jiéshù) — message
  • Czech: konec hry — message
  • Esperanto: finita ludo — message
  • Finnish: peli ohi — message
  • French: game over — message
  • French: fin de jeu — message
  • French: jeu terminé — message
  • French: partie terminée — message
  • French: fin de partie — message
  • Georgian: თამაში დასრულდა (tamaši dasrulda) — message
  • German: Game over — message
  • Hindi: खेल ख़त्म (khel xatma) — message
  • Hungarian: vége a játéknak — message
  • Indonesian: gim selesai — message
  • Indonesian: sudahan — message
  • Italian: gioco terminato — message
  • Japanese: ゲームオーバー (gēmu ōbā) — message
  • Korean: 게임 오버 (geim obeo) — message
  • Northern Kurdish: lîstik xelas — message
  • Mongolian: тоглоом дууслаа (togloom duuslaa) — message
  • Norwegian: game over — message
  • Persian: بازی تمام شد (bāziy tamām šod) — message
  • Polish: koniec gry — message
  • Portuguese: fim de jogo — message
  • Russian: игра́ зако́нчена (igrá zakónčena) — message
  • Spanish: partida terminada — message
  • Spanish: jugada acabada — message
  • Swedish: spelet är över — message
  • Swedish: spelet är slut — message
  • Tamil: ஆட்டம் முடிந்தது (āṭṭam muṭintatu) — message
  • Turkish: oyun bitti — message
  • Urdu: کھیل ختم (khel xatma) — message
  • Finnish: peli ohi — end of some ongoing situation
  • Hindi: खेल ख़त्म (khel xatma) — end of some ongoing situation
  • Indonesian: berakhir — end of some ongoing situation
  • Indonesian: selesai — end of some ongoing situation
  • Japanese: ゲームオーバー (gēmu ōbā) — end of some ongoing situation
  • Japanese: 詰んだ (tsunda) — end of some ongoing situation
  • Polish: po ptokach — end of some ongoing situation
  • Portuguese: fim de jogo — end of some ongoing situation
  • Spanish: el juego se acabó — end of some ongoing situation
  • Spanish: el juego estaba acabado — end of some ongoing situation
  • Tamil: சோழி முடிந்தது (cōḻi muṭintatu) — end of some ongoing situation
  • Vietnamese: qua đi — end of some ongoing situation