expectations game

English

Noun

expectations game (plural expectations games)

1. Efforts to influence opinion through diminishing expectations of one's performance or creating elevated expectations for an opponent

   "But at this point his team has fumbled the expectations game to the point where the governor will need to perform at a level well above anything we’ve seen from him to date if he wants to pull off the "W"."[1]

Usage notes

• Often phrased as "playing the expectations game"

See also

• spin