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
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
Perfetti fills Ehlers’ void adequately and the Jets win the Central, this time parlaying it into a deep playoff run.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 1 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
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
Perfetti fills Ehlers’ void adequately and the Jets win the Central, this time parlaying it into a deep playoff run.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 1 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
-
The concept is expanding into practice in the state as a solution to regional food distribution challenges.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Motorola devices will follow, with over-the-air updates extending support over time.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Keeping your right knee slightly bent, perform the deadlift by bending at the hip, extending your left leg behind you for balance.—
Greg Presto,
Outside,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In addition to executing the oxygen facial, McLeod-Valentine delivered the earliest iteration of his now-signature facial massage, meant to lymphatically drain the face to emphasize a client’s facial structure while boosting skin radiance and hydration before a major red carpet appearance.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Chia Seed Pudding With Berries Make this rich in protein and extra creamy by combining 3 tablespoons of omega-3-boosting chia seeds with one-half cup of unsweetened soy milk, and one-fourth cup of plain Greek yogurt to get some probiotic benefits.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The suspect was accelerating and weaving to try to shake the officer off.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Here, sea level rise is accelerating at some of the most extreme rates on Earth, while hurricanes increasingly are swirling ashore with an unprecedented ferociousness.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.—
NPR,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Liquidating talent is a short-term accounting trick; augmenting talent is a long-term growth strategy.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
31 Dec. 2025
-
On his last record, Reduction of Man, Jaffe inverted his approach, triggering events for his group to respond to rather than augmenting his own playing.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Sensory design has played an enormous role in developing this new identity for the bathroom, and the 2026 NKBA Bath Trends Report shows that numerous sensory trends are expected to continue gaining mainstream traction.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
While developing a proposal for Arrowhead, LeVota said, the county plans to reach out to business district leaders and business owners near the stadium, along with potential outside entities with development expertise.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He was first elected to the House in 1992, and now represents an inland district stretching from the southern Riverside suburbs to Palm Springs.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Without stretching their budget, travelers can enjoy 22 miles of pristine coastline or cross the bridge to hop on a shuttle with Explore Jax Core Tours, where the city’s history, culture, and future unfold through vivid storytelling and physical representation.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parlaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlaying. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share