play out

verb

Definition of play outnext
as in to spend
to make complete use of we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 play out Window closing to find survivors These are the kinds of scenes playing out across La Guaira state, with people milling around in the streets after being left homeless, uncertain of what to do next. — Fernando Narro Roman, NPR, 28 June 2026 Cook, who has remained in the post while the case plays out, called the allegations a pretext to oust her over monetary policy differences. — Will Dunham, USA Today, 28 June 2026 How does this play out in the employment market? — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 These same dynamics are now playing out in litigation over social media and youth mental health. — Alex Smolak, STAT, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for play out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play out
  1. spend
  2. consume
  3. drain
  4. exhaust
  5. draw down
  6. use up
  7. reduce
  8. absorb
Verb
  • Some key participants spend months getting ready for the celebrations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • The more modern versions alternate rough branches and irregular shapes with classic designs, transforming coral into a warm accent that immediately evokes the Mediterranean, Southern Italy, and summers spent by rocky shores and crystal-clear seas.
    — Selene Oliva, Glamour, 18 July 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • This allowed the federal government to more easily zero in on a common culprit that had been consumed, which in turn helped identify the source of an outbreak, such as a specific farm, ranch or distributor.
    — Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • The company behind the beer Sam Adams told NBC Boston its Boston Taproom ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager one weekend because of the Tartan Army, which drank four times as much beer as is consumed on a typical four-day weekend.
    — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 July 2026
Definition of consume
Verb
  • The shattered standing forlornly by the podium at the end of a draining tournament, hearts broken, bodies exhausted, having to watch as the opposition receive the reward that England were agonisingly close to.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Ryan Fox took home the Claret Jug after draining a birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Sunday.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • With little time to recover on the ball, such sequences only serve to exhaust Argentina, running low on energy to exert such pressure themselves.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • This rule doesn’t apply to the high school class of 2022, many of whom exhausted their NCAA eligibility with the 2025-26 season.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • The horizontal bar chart shows expected expenditures that will likely draw down baby boomer's aggregate wealth.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • While the operation eventually drew down, DHS has continued to have a tumultuous 2026.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Definition of draw down
Verb
  • Beijing did not have to fire a shot, spend vast sums or use up political capital.
    — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
  • Some sets have travel-size items instead of full-size, which lowers the value and will be used up faster.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
Definition of use up
Verb
  • The additional sleep provided by the bassinet also is believed to reduce burnout and postpartum depression in working moms and dads.
    — Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • There is an endless debate about crime, its causes and how to reduce it.
    — Ronald J. Allen, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Armies may seize and defend territory, absorb enormous casualties, and sustain combat for years without producing a durable political settlement.
    — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • For watering, fill the central cup formed by the plant’s leaves with fresh water, as the plant absorbs moisture through its foliage.
    — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026
Definition of absorb

Browse Nearby Words

play (on or upon)
play out
plays
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Cite this Entry

“Play out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20out. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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