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.
So I asked a Universal exec for the play-by-play of exactly what riders can expect.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 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
Here, trading is reimagined as a sport, complete with play-by-play commentators dissecting every tick of the digital-assets market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
Cárdenas was hired as the lead play-by-play announcer while Jarrín shadowed him that first season before settling in as the No. 2 announcer.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
“You can replay action . . . slow everything down . . . and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need it. Bargain — ten Galleons each.”
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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.
