as in spends
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 plays out
The details of LeVestiaire highlight exactly how that balance plays out.
—
Lauren Harano, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The conservative Justices on the nation’s highest court seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for firing Cook and wanting to keep her out of her post while the litigation plays out.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
With Maguire, the ball is in United’s court, and the club are likely to see how the season plays out.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The ruling will remain paused while the government’s appeal plays out.
—Peter Blumberg, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Duke agreed to arbitration, Mensah can assert, and no court should intervene until arbitration plays out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The chapter plays out almost like an extended scene out of a Mike Leigh film.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
In Indonesia, that competition plays out in the clearest terms.
—Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The struggle plays out repeatedly across Chicago.
—Miguel Chacon, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Lauren Harano, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The conservative Justices on the nation’s highest court seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for firing Cook and wanting to keep her out of her post while the litigation plays out.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
With Maguire, the ball is in United’s court, and the club are likely to see how the season plays out.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The ruling will remain paused while the government’s appeal plays out.
—Peter Blumberg, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Duke agreed to arbitration, Mensah can assert, and no court should intervene until arbitration plays out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The chapter plays out almost like an extended scene out of a Mike Leigh film.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
In Indonesia, that competition plays out in the clearest terms.
—Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The struggle plays out repeatedly across Chicago.
—Miguel Chacon, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays out
Verb
-
WalletHub estimates the average person spends about $200 on Valentine’s Day.—
Katey Psencik,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Even a stretch of sub-zero weather like one in late January and early February won’t harm the black-legged tick, the Lyme disease-carrying species that should be familiar to anyone who spends time outdoors in Rhode Island.—
Alex Kuffner,
The Providence Journal,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
South Dakota’s biggest data center consumes 30 megawatts, and the state has none of the vastly larger data centers that have proliferated elsewhere.—
Makenzie Huber,
States Newsroom,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Once Ali returns from his exile an absurdly wealthy man (and sporting a comically fake mustache), his brutality consumes everyone around him, and Yıldız’s hatred of him grows.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Keep a shallow pan or old towel handy in case any water drains during the process.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Use a good quality potting mix that drains well in the container.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Board member Nicole Gribstad also urged the committee to include an option that delays such a decision and exhausts all other financial alternatives before closing schools.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In a recent bid to boost transparency, Homeland Security announced a broad rollout of body cameras for immigration officers in Minneapolis as the government draws down ICE’s presence there.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In a recent bid to boost transparency, DHS announced a broad rollout of body cameras for immigration officers in Minneapolis as the government also draws down ICE's presence there.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This abundance reduces material costs and supply chain risks.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Removing whey from yogurt reduces the amount of carbs and sugar and concentrates more protein per ounce as a result.—
Kristen Gasnick,
Verywell Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In her expert opinion, the best eye cream for the day is one with a lightweight texture that absorbs quickly (one to two minutes, tops) with no shine or slip.—
Tracy Perez Han,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The Waymo absorbs this without flinching.—
Greg Mania,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The committee uses 12 criteria to determine who belongs in the field and where teams should be seeded.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Some suburbs are considering microtransit alternatives to DART, similar to the on-demand system Arlington uses in lieu of mass transit.—
Lilly Kersh,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plays out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20out. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
