play-by-play

Definition of play-by-playnext
as in commentary
a series of explanations or observations on something (as an event) on Monday mornings she usually gives her coworkers a detailed play-by-play on how her weekend date went

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for play-by-play
Noun
  • Dig deep and sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free Survivor Weekly newsletter to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
  • In the time since, his take on the character has become a fixture of fascination in pop culture, spawning a countless number of halloween costumes, memes and commentary.
    Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Explore all the possibilities with our expert tips, advice, and analysis.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 22 Feb. 2026
  • The sheriff told the outlet investigators are getting closer to identifying some of the clothing worn by the suspect captured on Guthrie's doorbell camera and are awaiting more DNA analysis.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play-by-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play-by-play. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster