play out

verb

played out; playing out; plays out

transitive verb

1

a

: to perform to the end

play out a role

b

: use up, finish

play out the season

2

: unreel, unfold

… played out a length of line.

—Gordon Webber

intransitive verb

1

: to become spent or exhausted

a style that has played out

2

: develop, unfold

see how things play out

Synonyms of play out

• spend
• consume
• drain
• exhaust
• draw down
• run out of
• use up
• reduce
• absorb
• use

Examples of play out in a Sentence

we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the sources said the discussions had been underway for a year, and suspected the brothers had been waiting to see how their half-siblings’ cases play out before making their move. —Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026

Yet, the Thunder have executed better even when the Lakers have played out their best. —Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026

In Mayfair, amid art galleries, private clubs, and five-star addresses, a new ritual is playing out behind noren curtains and polished doors. —Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026

That's what ended up playing out. —Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for play out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

play out

verb

1

: to perform to the end

2

a

: to use up or finish

b

: to become exhausted : tire

3

: unreel, unfold