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

• 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

The question now is whether a rematch plays out the same way. —Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Dimension 20 airs its actual play in neater, more digestible two-hour episodes, as opposed to playing out languidly in real-time like Critical Role. —Dana Reboe, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025

The brutal beatdown gained traction online as the video of several victims being thrown to the ground and assaulted shocked the nation, forcing local leaders to answer for the unnecessary violence in a series of events that continue to play out on the national stage. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025

This cycle — parents hurting their kids — still plays out every day. —Danielle Bacher, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025

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