mind game, n.
deliberate actions of calculated psychological manipulation intended to intimidate or confuse (usually for competitive advantage)
<noun.act>
mind game
sample sentences
"football players try to play mind games with the opposition""the jeweler's mind game is to convince lovers that the size of a gemstone reflects the depth of their feelings"
semantic pointers
hypernym
any game designed to exercise the intellect
<noun.act>
mind game
semantic pointers
hypernym