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
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All of Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool (twice), Chelsea and Arsenal have been outplayed and outmatched.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 May 2026
The victorious 3-2 scoreline might not reflect it, but the USA thoroughly outplayed Senegal on Sunday in what will serve as a promising statement of intent for this home World Cup that kicks off in less than two weeks.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
The relationships Anaya and her teammates created will long outlast the sadness from getting outplayed Friday.
—Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 30 May 2026
Wedgewood outplayed him near the end of the season, earned the Game 1 start against Los Angeles and then was fantastic against the Kings in a four-game sweep.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
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Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 May 2026
The victorious 3-2 scoreline might not reflect it, but the USA thoroughly outplayed Senegal on Sunday in what will serve as a promising statement of intent for this home World Cup that kicks off in less than two weeks.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
The relationships Anaya and her teammates created will long outlast the sadness from getting outplayed Friday.
—Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 30 May 2026
Wedgewood outplayed him near the end of the season, earned the Game 1 start against Los Angeles and then was fantastic against the Kings in a four-game sweep.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for outplay
Cite this Entry
“Outplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outplay. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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