played out
Idioms-
See play out .
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Exhausted, worn out, as in This was the third trip the mules had made, and they were utterly played out . [Mid-1800s]
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 crisis of trust has played out differently in different countries, depending on the rhythm of elections and the peculiarities of the political system.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
In courtrooms, this played out in the form of trying to block consideration of the racial effects of a policy rather than focusing solely on proving an invidious racist intent.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
Changes like those in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District played out over decades on local governing bodies all over Texas, enabling representation of Latino and Black voters.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
The two asset managers and Milken also highlighted how the AI investments would be played out over decades, providing a big payoff for investors willing to wait for compounded returns.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
There I stood with both feet out the door, on the brink of tears, and quickly closing in on insanity, when something played out in my mind.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
