power play

noun

1
: a military, diplomatic, political, or administrative maneuver in which power is brought to bear
2
a
: a concentrated attack in football in which the ballcarrier is preceded by a mass of blockers
b
: a situation in ice hockey in which one team temporarily has more players on the ice than the other team because of a penalty

Examples of power play in a Sentence

They scored their first goal on a power play. He made a power play to seize control of the company.
Recent Examples on the Web The Rangers have 34 seconds left on a power play to begin the third but the Panthers’ penalty kill has been steady so far in its first attempt. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024 Stars forward Wyatt Johnston was playing keep away and killing time in the Colorado end during the power play when Cale Makar knocked him to the ice with a big hit and the Avs went the other way. Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 18 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for power play 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'power play.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of power play was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near power play

Cite this Entry

“Power play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20play. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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