PLAY OUT Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

play out

verb

Definition of play out

as in to spend

to make complete use of we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Verb

Home-server owners will already understand the attraction, and the pro’s solved this ages ago but spent a lot more than this.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2026
The president responded by saying his administration wouldn't spend the $257 million appropriated by Congress on renovating the building unless the building also bears his name.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of spend

Verb

There’s no indication Aileen ever stayed at the house or that she was consumed by Lizzie’s story.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
The companies hope the approach will enable smaller processing facilities that consume less energy and cost less to operate.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of consume

Verb

Detectives drained three dams, searched six mineshafts and sent up drones with specialized cameras to take detailed imagery, later analyzed with artificial intelligence.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
The book leans on research about decision fatigue—the idea that even trivial choices drain the mental capacity available for harder ones—to argue that the sheer volume of daily inputs, not just their content, has a cost.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have become grinding contests over which side can exhaust the other’s military capacity, economic resources, and political will.

— NADIA SCHADLOW, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026
This change responds to the numerous college athlete-plaintiffs who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility, but who seek to continue playing or return to competition.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Inventories have already been drawn down by around 1 billion barrels, according to Paul Gooden, head of natural resources at investment manager Ninety One.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Inventories, or global stockpiles of crude oil, have been drawn down this spring and summer at a rapid clip, after governments around the world agreed in early March to release 400 million barrels of oil in a bid to ease soaring prices.

— Gordon Lubold, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of draw down

Verb

Because the coating is already on the coil, manufacturers may be able to reduce reliance on external lubrication and additional e-coating processes.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
The goal, advocates say, was to get individuals struggling with addiction treatment while reducing overcrowding inside state prisons.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

And in a single season, a high school or college football player absorbs an estimated 600 to 1,000 subconcussive blows.

— Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
Now as a single patron, Saudi Arabia is trying to absorb under its command and funding structure the factions that spent years operating with other loyalties.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of absorb

Browse Nearby Words

play (on or upon)

play out

plays

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Play out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20out. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of play out

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

pundit

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

'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

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes