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.
For the first time since beating his cancer into remission, radio play-by-play broadcaster Charley Steiner called a complete game for the Dodgers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Voice of legendary play-by-play announcer, re-created using artificial intelligence, will provide daily Olympic updates for NBCUniversal’s Peacock.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
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
Sohrab gave Parviz and Navid a complete play-by-play of our latest game.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
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.
