PARLAY Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

parlay

verb

Definition of parlay

as in to expand

to use or develop (something) to get something else that has greater value He hoped to parlay his basketball skills into a college scholarship.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of parlay There was an expectation that Texas quarterback Arch Manning would parlay his late surge last year into a masterful 2026 season that’d rank him near the top of every draft board in spring. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Like Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong, Widow’s Bay standout Kate O’Flynn could parlay her prestige-TV acclaim to Oscar attention for Tender Loving Care. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Outside of music, King parlayed his fame into an appearance in the movie King of New York and episodes of The Golden Girls and Family Matters. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026 Fred Claire, who parlayed early jobs as a sports writer and editor into a 30-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in public relations and as a World Series-winning general manager, has died. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parlay

Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlay

Verb

An interceptor that can engage targets at greater distances could expand the area protected by existing air defense units.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Founded by three childhood friends, Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros, and Romée de Gorianoff, who were later joined by Xavier Padovani, the Experimental Group gradually expanded to encompass wine bars, restaurants, and boutique hotels.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of expand

Verb

Allen drained it to extend Charlotte’s lead to 20, and then found Dennis Schröder for a high-five as Miami called a timeout.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
L3Harris is pursuing an air-breathing ramjet design intended to improve fuel efficiency and extend engagement distances.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of extend

Verb

The car can accelerate from zero-60 in less than a second and perform feats that once belonged in science fiction.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
The company says the changes are intended to make electric vehicles more affordable while accelerating development and manufacturing.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of accelerate

Verb

In France, the sales boost in the quarter was driven by strong summer sales in destination locations across the French Riviera, particularly Cannes and Monaco.

— Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Caffeine pouches, small packets placed in the mouth between the lip and gum, are marketed as a portable and discreet way to boost energy and focus.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of boost

Verb

Kim Hong-Cheol, the South Korean military official, said leaving the dispute over the military demarcation line unresolved would increase the risk of accidental clashes because troops from both sides act on their own understanding of the line.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
As rain chances increase overnight, the temperature will drop to 40 degrees.

— Hali Smith October 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

Most Americans don’t want more data centers and think AI is developing too fast.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
The grant pays for the organizations to train staff in exercise oncology, to develop or expand programs to help those who have had, or survived cancer.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of develop

Verb

To prepare for this week’s storms, the Los Angeles Fire Department has augmented resources to help with swift-water rescues and mud and debris flows, with a specific focus on burn scar areas, according to a news release from Mayor Karen Bass.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Trump’s flexible realism also entails recognizing the need to form bespoke coalitions of the willing to augment the United Nations and other large multilateral institutions.

— Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of augment

Verb

The 49ers scored a touchdown on fourth-and-goal as running back Christian McCaffrey leaped over the pile of linemen and stretched the ball across the goal line, giving San Francisco an early 7-0 lead.

— AJC.com, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026
More specifically, the Base-01 stretches out over a patch of earthen floor measuring 183 sq ft (17 sq m) – about the same amount of floor as this handsome Ikea tiny home.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of stretch

Browse Nearby Words

parlances

parlay

parlayed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Parlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlay. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of parlay

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

disparate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes