Synonyms

play-by-play

American

[pley-bahy-pley] / ˈpleɪ baɪˈpleɪ /

adjective

pertaining to or being a detailed account of each incident or act of an event, as in sports.

a play-by-play broadcast of a baseball game.

noun

a detailed and sequential description of a sports contest or other event, as by a sportscaster, usually as it is taking place.

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.

Install hockey play-by-play announcers who emphasize the rising action, then scream “goal!”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 4, 2026

Trading is being reimagined as a spectator sport, complete with play-by-play commentary and, of course, prediction bets.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Before the 1962 season, Cárdenas moved on to serve as the lead play-by-play announcer for Houston’s new team, then known as the Colt .45s.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Several newspapers covered the occasion, leaving a historical record that John Thorn, MLB’s official historian, used to piece together a play-by-play published along with some sights and sounds of the day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Five minutes later, we’re almost through Arlo’s detailed play-by-play of the menu when a football flies though the kitchen window, shattering the glass.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023