gaming
The activity and culture of playing video games.
By Cal Hewitt, Founder at Web Leveling · Researched from public sources ·
What it actually means
Gaming is the ordinary umbrella term for playing video games and participating in the communities around them. It is not a uniquely Gen Z slang coinage, but it is a core internet-culture term. In casual speech, "they are gaming" means they are currently playing, often with focus or skill.
See the quick definition in the gaming dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Gaming is an established English word with older senses involving games and gambling. In modern digital use, it refers to playing video games; no single person coined that use.
No single person is credited, the origin is well-documented.
Where it's popular
Global video-game communities, livestream platforms, Discord servers, esports, and social video.
It is a broad activity label rather than a regional slang term.
How it caught on
- before video gamesGaming is used for playing games, including games of chance.
- late 20th centuryVideo games make gaming a common label for electronic play and its growing culture.
- 2010s-2020sStreaming, esports, and social platforms make gaming a major online cultural category.
How to use it
“I cannot call tonight, I am gaming with friends.”
Saying you are playing a video game.
“She has been gaming all weekend.”
Describing a long session of video-game play.
Common mix-ups
Gaming does not only mean competitive esports, and it is not necessarily slang. It can refer to casual, social, mobile, tabletop, or video-game play depending on context.
Do you actually know it?
Are you gaming?
0/31. What does "I am gaming" usually mean online?
2. Is gaming limited to esports?
3. Which is related to gaming culture?
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does gaming mean?
It means playing games, most often video games in current everyday use.
Is gaming slang?
Not usually. It is a standard broad term that is central to internet and video-game culture.
What does someone is gaming mean?
It usually means they are currently playing a video game.
Gaming can still carry its older sense of games of chance, so context tells you whether someone means video games or gambling.