mind game
Deliberate mental manipulation
A mind game is a psychological tactic meant to manipulate, confuse, or gain advantage over someone: She's playing mind games with him.
The term usually implies deliberate deception or emotional manipulation in relationships, negotiations, or competition.
Mind games can also be puzzles or exercises designed to challenge thinking, though this sense is less common.
Controlling others through deception
- power playStrategic leverage attempt
- gaslightingManipulation causing self-doubt
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
guilt-tripping · coercion · bluffing · feint · misdirection · head games · control · influence
Puzzle demanding clever thought
- logic puzzleProblem solved by deduction
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
- chessStrategic board game
- mental challengeProblem taxing intellect
sudoku · lateral thinking · problem-solving · IQ test · word puzzle · cognition · reasoning · deduction
psychological manipulation
Controlling others through deception
- power playStrategic leverage attempt
- gaslightingManipulation causing self-doubt
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
intimidation · guilt-tripping · coercion · bluffing · feint · misdirection · head games · control · influence · scheming
brainteaser
Puzzle demanding clever thought
- logic puzzleProblem solved by deduction
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
- chessStrategic board game
mental challenge · sudoku · lateral thinking · problem-solving · IQ test · word puzzle · cognition · reasoning · deduction · pattern recognition
- mind gameshead games, intimidation, distraction, deception, manipulation
- puzzlespuzzles, sudoku, jigsaw puzzle, puzzle cube, crossword
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- brain teasersriddle, brain teaser, logic puzzles, puzzle, brainteasers
mind gamestraight talk
Honest, direct communication
honesty · sincerity · candor · directness · transparency
mind gameathletic competition
Organized physical contest
contact sport · athletic contest · blood sport · brute force · fistfight
mind gamesimplicity
Lack of complexity
straightforwardness · what you see is what you get · bluntness · matter-of-factness · cut to the chase
game, mind, remind, mindful, reminder, gaming, mindless, reminded, minds