play out

verb

played out; playing out; plays out

transitive verb

1
a
: to perform to the end
play out a role
b
2
: unreel, unfold
played out a length of lineGordon Webber

intransitive verb

1
: to become spent or exhausted
2
: develop, unfold
see how things play out

Examples of play out in a Sentence

we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This has been playing out with the current rally as well, with the S&P 500 Index up just 1.7% since the bull market turned two years old on October 12, 2024. Jeffrey Schulze, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025 The British Royal Family is no different; their problems just play out on a bigger stage. Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 8 June 2025 The once chummy relationship between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk imploded in a flurry of back-and-forth insults and allegations that played out on social media for all the world to see. Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 8 June 2025 Much of the story — about Murrow’s conflict with Senator Joseph McCarthy over his ongoing communist witch hunt — even played out on TV, via the anchor’s nightly newscasts. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for play out

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of play out was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20out. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

play out

verb
1
: to perform to the end
2
a
: to use up or finish
b
: to become exhausted : tire
3
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!