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.
As El-Sayed unexpectedly prepared to take the stage at the convention, this dynamic played out for all to see.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026
That concern is now being played out through Adobe, as another analyst downgraded the stock while at the same time upgrading shares of a cybersecurity player.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026
Supporters of assisted dying are extremely frustrated at the way this process has played out in the Lords.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
The stay preserved the status quo while litigation played out, averting the hefty costs and damage that would otherwise have come to pass.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
So our little intrigues played out while women whispered over the backs of the sofas and men, after supper, passed the port and listened to tales of the wars against the French and the Indians.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
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.
