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

2

: unreel, unfold

played out a length of line

—Gordon Webber

intransitive verb

1

: to become spent or exhausted

2

: develop, unfold

see how things play out

Synonyms

• absorb
• burn
• consume
• deplete
• devour
• drain
• draw down
• exhaust
• expend
• spend
• use up

Examples of play out in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

American politics is a complicated game — it’s played out in three branches of government and at the federal, state and local level, with numerous competing institutions of power. —Darrell Gaskin, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2024

While the trial will bring an end to the legal drama of the past year, Vanderpump Rules fans remain in the dark about how the continuous saga will — or won’t — play out onscreen, leaving Bravo’s beloved and highly-rated juggernaut in limbo. —Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2024

The 49ers have let negotiations play out with stars for years, including tight end George Kittle (signed Aug. 13, 2020), linebacker Fred Warner (July 21, 2021), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (July 31, 2022) and Bosa (Sept. 6). —Nicki Jhabvala, Washington Post, 19 July 2024

Yet despite the similarities in the respective hype-cycles of NFTs and AI—the primary one being that their use in the creative realm brought the technology into the daily lives of regular users, at least for a little while—things are playing out differently this time around. —Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 19 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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