play-by-play
Americanadjective
noun
Usage
What does play-by-play mean? A play-by-play is a running commentary on or a detailed summary of an event, used especially in sports.
Etymology
Origin of play-by-play
First recorded in 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
“It was essentially a play by play of what was happening in the sky.”
From Washington Post • Mar. 8, 2023
"I will, soon, write up a more complete post on the play by play."
From Reuters • Nov. 12, 2022
“I spent like three hours going over the playbook then. I think Coach Hackett did a good job of explaining the plays, play by play, what each guy has,” Gordon said.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2022
His play by play reports of each game give Evening Journal readers everything but the applause.
From What's in the New York Evening Journal America's Greatest Evening Newspaper by New York Evening Journal
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
