Showing results for "pay-to-play"

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Slang dictionary results for pay-to-play.

pay-to-play

American  

[pley-tuh-pley] / ˈpleɪ təˈpleɪ /

adjective

1. relating to or denoting the policy or practice of paying a fee to play a game at the time the game is played.

   If you can’t afford a club membership, find a place that offers pay-to-play handball.

2. relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment.

   a pay-to-play system encouraged by drug corporations.

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Usage

What does pay-to-play mean? Pay-to-play refers to situations where one must exchange money to engage in an activity or to earn favors or influence.

Etymology

Origin of pay-to-play

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pay-to-play

That sense of autonomy shaped how she expresses herself online today, and she believes that a revived MySpace should avoid the algorithmic, pay-to-play dynamics that dominate modern platforms.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Unlike the developing youth academies of Europe and South America, where clubs like Ajax and Barcelona were putting money into young talent, development in the US has long run on a pay-to-play model.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

There are also a number of so-called pay-to-play programs that don’t necessarily give students a leg up in admissions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

“My high school band tried to play a show at the Whisky a Go Go,” says Knobbe, “but it was like a pay-to-play sort of thing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026

Youth sports are becoming steadily more privatized: Today, "pay-to-play" youth sports is a $30 billion to $40 billion dollar industry.

From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2025