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

While the current crackdown playing out in communities across the country is unprecedented, concerns about officer training and readiness have been building for years. —Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026

Now Democrats are wrestling with what comes next, and nowhere is that fight playing out more clearly than in this Massachusetts primary. —Juliegrace Brufke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026

Prior to parting ways on Sunday, a farewell brunch will double as a forum for a bit of prognostication regarding how the tournament will ultimately play out. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2026

Flav took issue with how the invitation played out. —Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 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