play out

verb

played out; playing out; plays out

transitive verb

1
a
: to perform to the end
play out a role
b
2
: unreel, unfold
played out a length of lineGordon Webber

intransitive verb

1
: to become spent or exhausted
2
: develop, unfold
see how things play out

Examples of play out in a Sentence

we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal
Recent Examples on the Web The 34-year-old confirmed the news on Friday on X, the platform where most of the drama between the two conservative media figures played out. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2024 The opening scene in the Netflix version plays out like a documentary, as director Derek Tsang, who worked on the first two episodes, had researched oral histories of that dark historical period, where academics were beaten and some sent to reeducation camps. Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Boll’s legacy Though she was disappointed by how events had played out in Newfoundland, Boll wasn’t done with aviation—at least not yet. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 That hasn’t played out like brands had hoped, although there are initial signs of recovery. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024 Many of those challenges have played out at the local level in the Phoenix area. Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024 The battles over uniformity and diversity do not always play out in court. Jack Healy, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The harrowing scene played out on a New York City subway car during Thursday-evening rush hour and was captured in videos that have been shared widely online. Jeff Winter, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The consternation is over language that was vetted in one chamber but not the other ― a common scenario that plays out in conference committees during these final days. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of play out was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near play out

Cite this Entry

“Play out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20out. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

play out

verb
1
: to perform to the end
2
a
: to use up or finish
b
: to become exhausted : tire
3
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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