game-changer

or game chang·er

[ geym-cheyn-jer ]

noun

1. Sports. an athlete, play, etc., that suddenly changes the outcome of a game or contest.
2. a person or thing that dramatically changes the course, strategy, character, etc., of something:

   Social media has been a real game-changer in the company’s marketing efforts.

Other Words From

• game-changing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of game-changer¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Bridging the world of The Patty Duke Show and Mary Tyler Moore, That Girl was a game changer.

From The Daily Beast

If it turns out to be true, this could be a real game changer… of thrones.

From The Daily Beast

Toby Lanzer, who heads UN humanitarian operations in South Sudan, has referred to the slaughter in Bentiu as a "game changer."

From The Daily Beast

For Future Islands, a trio of indie rock journeymen from North Carolina, it was a potential game changer.

From The Daily Beast

Either way, Bragman knows he took part in a moment that truly can be called a game-changer.

From The Daily Beast