zero-sum game
US /ˈzɪroʊ sʌm ɡeɪm/
UK /ˈzɪroʊ sʌm ɡeɪm/
1.
a situation in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other
:
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Negotiations often feel like a zero-sum game, where one party's gain is another's loss.
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In a true zero-sum game, there's no way for both parties to win.