replay

1 of 2

verb

re·​play (ˌ)rē-ˈplā How to pronounce replay (audio)
replayed; replaying; replays

transitive verb

: to play again or over

replay

2 of 2

noun

re·​play ˈrē-ˌplā How to pronounce replay (audio)
plural replays
1
a
: an act or instance of replaying
… the overbearing demands of the world's television schedules mean that when a game is tied it's no longer possible to take it to a replay.Pete Davies
b
: the playing of a video that was previously recorded or broadcast
Find all the scores, stats, live stream replays and complete area coverage here.The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA)
see also instant replay
2
: repetition, reenactment
don't want a replay of our old mistakes
… supported massive infusions of money to save the world economy from a replay of the Depression.David Von Drehle
Their play is a replay, in fantasy, of their own experiences and the feeling they evoke.Penelope Leach

Examples of replay in a Sentence

Verb The tied game will be replayed on Saturday. The game's highlights were replayed on the evening news. The footage has been played and replayed on television. Noun They scheduled the replay for Saturday. You could see the fumble on the replay.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
In Friday’s classic for the ages — the type of game the MLB Network will replay during gray Novembers and fans will tell stories about a decade or two from now — the Tigers showed every side of themselves and their season. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 Prosecutors replayed footage of Rocha shooting guns outside the window of a moving car while saying the N-word, a racist slur commonly used towards Black people. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Trevor Ruszkowski / Imagn Images INDIANAPOLIS — Laiatu Latu didn’t need to see the replay. James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Pop was always premised on replay value—but no matter how many times someone spun their CD of Bedtime Stories, Madonna received money only from the initial sale. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for replay

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1635, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of replay was circa 1635

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Cite this Entry

“Replay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/replay. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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