as in expanding
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 parlaying
Pressly did, too, parlaying the success as an Astro into a place within franchise lore.
—
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The cap will restrict the amount wagered on individual pitches before they are delivered – ball, strike and pitch velocity – while banning parlaying each pitch result during a game.
—David Close, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Raquel is resourceful and has made the best of her situation, parlaying the social capital of being a firefighter’s widow into a lucrative career as a grief influencer and star of Black Veil, a reality series dedicated to helping widows find their own second chances at love.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Staub is now reportedly parlaying that performance into a start this Friday against Houston in Colorado’s Big 12 opener.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Butler proved correct then, parlaying it into a max contract, and has trusted his gut on business decisions since, using his power and brazenness to help influence his way out of other situations and into $312 million of career earnings.
—Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
By parlaying them into the AI realm, this lamentedly is an insidious form of anthropomorphizing AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
And one of the answers to that question was parlaying it into a return to directing.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
One of the world’s most prominent menswear designers, Jones also logged seven years at Louis Vuitton before joining Dior, parlaying his zest for exotic travel into ultra-luxurious collections with understated cool and sly functionality.
—Miles Socha, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The cap will restrict the amount wagered on individual pitches before they are delivered – ball, strike and pitch velocity – while banning parlaying each pitch result during a game.
—David Close, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Raquel is resourceful and has made the best of her situation, parlaying the social capital of being a firefighter’s widow into a lucrative career as a grief influencer and star of Black Veil, a reality series dedicated to helping widows find their own second chances at love.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Staub is now reportedly parlaying that performance into a start this Friday against Houston in Colorado’s Big 12 opener.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Butler proved correct then, parlaying it into a max contract, and has trusted his gut on business decisions since, using his power and brazenness to help influence his way out of other situations and into $312 million of career earnings.
—Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
By parlaying them into the AI realm, this lamentedly is an insidious form of anthropomorphizing AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
And one of the answers to that question was parlaying it into a return to directing.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
One of the world’s most prominent menswear designers, Jones also logged seven years at Louis Vuitton before joining Dior, parlaying his zest for exotic travel into ultra-luxurious collections with understated cool and sly functionality.
—Miles Socha, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlaying
Verb
-
Camp Lucy, a Texas Wine Country resort, is also expanding with the debut of Folklore, a new spa experience blending wellness, color therapy and social connection.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Levine Cava also pointed to Miami-Dade's expanding economy, fueled in part by major international events such as Formula One races at Hard Rock Stadium and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, extending the lives of the sick and elderly can impose net costs on society’s ledgers, costs which government regulatory analyses typically ignore.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The court said the injunction effectively amounted to a universal injunction by extending relief to a sweeping, uncertified class of protesters and observers.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The expert is also a proponent of boosting fiber intake, noting that the daily goal for adults is between 25 and 35 grams per day.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In the event a central bank loses independence, policymakers tend to favor lower interest rates as a means of boosting short-term economic activity, analysts previously told ABC News.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By year’s end, some 9,917 fires scorched more than four million acres, accelerating flash floods and mudflow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The Democrats largely agreed about issues such as combating climate change, accelerating the transition to clean energy and protecting California’s water resources.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His administration is facing increasing scrutiny after immigration officers killed two American citizens in Minneapolis this month.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Powerful onshore winds are forecast to coincide with some of the highest tides of the month, increasing the risk of moderate to locally significant coastal flooding, particularly during high tide cycles late Saturday into Sunday.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Preservation was part of the conversation when the two connected, but both were also focused on revitalization and augmenting the structure’s old-world charms with something fresh and modern.—
Lina Lecaro,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The nearly 14-year transit is augmenting the world and our lives.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Its terms included developing a performance suede and a high-quality crust for full-grain alternatives.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
-
That’ll require developing a rushing attack that can be dominant like head coach and play-caller Dave Canales wants.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Giaccio also incorporates stretching and foam rolling into her recovery process.—
Michelle Bruton,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
On a typical $50,000 new-car loan with a $10,000 down payment and 8% APR, stretching financing from 48 months to 84 months can add nearly $5,500 in extra interest over the life of the loan.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parlaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlaying. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
