play out
Britishverb
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(tr) to finish
let's play the game out if we aren't too late
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informal (tr; often passive) to use up or exhaust
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(tr) to release gradually
he played the rope out
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(intr) to happen or turn out
Let's wait and see how things play out
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Finish, run out, as in This extreme fashion will soon play out , or The tension between factions will surely play itself out by next year . [Late 1500s]
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Unwind, unreel, as in They slowly played out the cable . Also see played out .
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.
The analysts see a valuation of 8.00 Australian dollars a share if their bear scenario were to play out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
We’ve already seen this dynamic begin to play out.
From Slate • Jul. 6, 2026
You know how much players like to rise up against players with better “star” rankings than them, and this is the tournament to see it play out.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2026
When Panama find themselves on the ball, they showcase strong technical quality to play out of the opposition's immediate pressure.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
To sit back and watch the scene play out in the detail that only a recap could provide.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
