as in spending
to make complete use of
we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal
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Recent Examples of playing out
Tuning out your own life is so much easier when something juicier is playing out on TV.
—
Samantha Sasso, Vulture, 22 May 2026
This is playing out in private markets as companies raise historic amounts of money, with historically small teams, and enjoy historic growth.
—Martin Casado, Fortune, 20 May 2026
The debate over the shape of Louisiana’s new districts is playing out as South Carolina’s governor ramps up pressure on lawmakers to also redistrict ahead of the midterms.
—Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
The Summer House scandal playing out on Bravo.
—John Ross, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
Jo and Naomi McPherson were playing out of mini amps.
—Katie Gavin, Time, 8 May 2026
Congress has not fulfilled that obligation, and the consequences are playing out in real time.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
For other premier players, playing out one final season at their current location — should that be her plan — could serve as a distraction.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
The contest is playing out more than a year after the devastating Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Samantha Sasso, Vulture, 22 May 2026
This is playing out in private markets as companies raise historic amounts of money, with historically small teams, and enjoy historic growth.
—Martin Casado, Fortune, 20 May 2026
The debate over the shape of Louisiana’s new districts is playing out as South Carolina’s governor ramps up pressure on lawmakers to also redistrict ahead of the midterms.
—Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
The Summer House scandal playing out on Bravo.
—John Ross, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
Jo and Naomi McPherson were playing out of mini amps.
—Katie Gavin, Time, 8 May 2026
Congress has not fulfilled that obligation, and the consequences are playing out in real time.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
For other premier players, playing out one final season at their current location — should that be her plan — could serve as a distraction.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
The contest is playing out more than a year after the devastating Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing out
Verb
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After spending some time by the pool, a semi-Olympic lined with emerald and malachite mosaics that glinted in the soft, ambient light, followed by a quick trip to the sauna, I was escorted to my treatment room, about a half-flight of stairs up, where I was met by Marcia, my therapist.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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These features help give you an idea of your most up-to-date financial status without spending much time manually logging information or allocating every dollar.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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In a press release, the USDA urged pet and livestock owners to check their animals for draining or enlarging wounds, maggots or egg masses, signs of discomfort and lesions in body openings, such as the nose, ears, genitalia, and umbilical area.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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Plant your plum in a sunny location with well-draining soil, and provide occasional watering when the soil is dry.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Beatty, now 76, told me that the instability consuming the Kennedy Center is precisely what her lawsuit sought to stop.—
Janay Kingsberry,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
-
Among 79 people interviewed, 70 reported consuming a product containing moringa leaf powder before becoming ill, including four people who reported consuming TNVitamins moringa capsules, according to the FDA.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Verb
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But eventually, the structure itself needs to be questioned, because getting that balance right becomes the difference between retaining strong leaders and slowly exhausting them.—
Bronwen Sciortino,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Sliding effortlessly from incisive observer to chaotic flirt to exhausting narcissist, Firstman is never not in on the joke.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Global inventories are drawing down at a record pace, leaving the market increasingly vulnerable to fresh disruptions.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
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The plan heavily relies on drawing down county cash reserves and assumes the recovery of millions in vehicle licensing revenues that the county says are currently being held hostage by the state.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Besides using up your surfeit of squash, this recipe will even satisfy the kids.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 May 2026
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This single observation suggests that, during strong wind conditions, each rotor would contribute about 1 MW of propulsion, even when using up its own 20 kW of spinning power.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The price tag comes from the California State Auditor’s report that was issued last fall, which found that maintaining similar telework policies could potentially save $225 million annually by reducing the government’s office space footprint.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2026
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An April 2026 analysis identified 446 hospitals across 44 states at high risk of closing or reducing services because of Medicaid funding cuts.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Just seconds later, local residents recorded on their cellphones the initial stages of the Eaton fire, burning at the base of the tower, known as M16T1.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
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The 24-year-old’s burning desire, elite athleticism, and an electrifying season at Triple-A Albuquerque busted down the big-league door.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20out. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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