outplay
verb
out·play
ˌau̇t-ˈplā 
outplayed; outplaying; outplays
: to play better than
especially
: to outdo in playing a game
The Knicks took a 21-point lead in the first half, gave up 18 consecutive points in the third quarter, but outplayed the Kings down the stretch to win … —
The Times Union (Albany, New York)
The Times Union (Albany, New York) Examples of outplay in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In fact, the younger Penguins very much outplayed their older teammates.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
But Maye completely outplayed Young on Sunday, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2025
Four games into the season, Hoover has outplayed household names like Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Florida’s DJ Lagway and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Sep. 2025
Their most recent loss was a 45-26 home defeat to Old Dominion, where the Hokies were outplayed early and unable to overcome turnovers and defensive breakdowns.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outplay
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Josh Yohe, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
But Maye completely outplayed Young on Sunday, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2025
Four games into the season, Hoover has outplayed household names like Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Florida’s DJ Lagway and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Sep. 2025
Their most recent loss was a 45-26 home defeat to Old Dominion, where the Hokies were outplayed early and unable to overcome turnovers and defensive breakdowns.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outplay
Cite this Entry
“Outplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outplay. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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