a rigged game

USAGE SUMMARY

"a rigged game" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation that is unfairly manipulated or predetermined. Example: "The election felt like a rigged game, with the outcome decided before the votes were cast." Alternative expressions include "a fixed game" and "a stacked deck."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

pay: it's a rigged game.

The New York Times

In some sense, it's a rigged game.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It feels like a rigged game," she says.

The Guardian

It's a rigged game: from the beginning, they are all programmed not to rebel.

The New Yorker

Populists often deploy the passive voice, speaking of inequality or a rigged game.

The New Yorker

That is how we move from a rigged game to an economy that works for everyone.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I certainly think these tribunals have the potential to be a rigged game," Swift told me.

The New Yorker

We're like a compulsive gambler plunging ever more deeply into debt in order to wager on a rigged game.

The New York Times

For Mr. Silver's critics, the latest scandal reinforced a sense that ethics enforcement in Albany is a rigged game.

The New York Times

I'll try not to spell out too much, but neither am I willing to play along in a rigged game.

The New York Times

Maintaining authoritarian rule while keeping the opposition playing a rigged game is the core of Erdogan's election game.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In corporate or academic writing, ensure the context supports the strong accusation of unfairness implied by the word 'rigged'.

Common error

Avoid mixing the 'game' metaphor with unrelated industrial or scientific metaphors in the same sentence, as it can confuse the reader's mental image.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a rigged game" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or a direct object. According to Ludwig, it is used to characterize an abstract system (like the economy) through a concrete metaphor of a manipulated competition. The adjective 'rigged' modifies 'game' to indicate that the standard rules have been subverted.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a rigged game" is a highly effective linguistic tool for describing systemic unfairness. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a correct and common expression, appearing over 60 times in top-tier global publications. It bridges the gap between everyday sports metaphors and complex political-economic critique. Whether used by political figures to describe elections or by financial analysts to discuss market volatility, it conveys a sharp, clear message: the rules are not being applied fairly, and the outcome is predetermined. For writers, it remains a robust choice for adding emotional weight to arguments about inequality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fixed game

Focuses more on specific illicit manipulation or cheating rather than systemic inequality.

a stacked deck

Uses a card-playing metaphor to suggest that the odds were unfair from the start.

loaded dice

A gambling metaphor emphasizing that the mechanism for determining the winner is corrupted.

a biased system

Shifts the focus from the 'game' metaphor to the structural nature of the unfairness.

a sham

Implies the entire process is a fake or a pretense with no legitimacy.

uneven playing field

A sports-derived metaphor focusing on the inequality of opportunity rather than active rigging.

manipulated process

A more technical way to describe how the rules or steps were changed for an advantage.

preordained outcome

Emphasizes that the result was decided before the process even began.

unfair competition

A more literal and professional term often used in legal or business contexts.

a foregone conclusion

Describes a situation where the result is so obvious it is hardly worth going through the motions.

FAQs

What does "a rigged game" mean?

It refers to a situation, competition or system that has been unfairly manipulated to ensure a specific person or group wins, or to produce a predetermined outcome. It is often used as a metaphor for systemic economic or social inequality.

What can I say instead of "a rigged game"?

You can use synonyms like "a fixed game", "a stacked deck" or "an unfair system" depending on how formal you want to be.

How do you use "a rigged game" in a sentence?

A common way to use it is: "Many critics argue that the tax code is "a rigged game" that favors the wealthy over the working class."

Is "a rigged game" informal?

While it is a metaphor, it is considered neutral to professional. It appears frequently in high-level journalism and political commentary in publications like The New York Times.