power play

American  

noun

1. Football. an aggressive running play in which numerous offensive players converge and forge ahead to block and clear a path for the ball carrier.

2. Ice Hockey.

   1. a situation in which one team has a temporary numerical advantage because an opposing player or players are in the penalty box, and hence has an opportunity for a concerted, swarming attack on the opponent's goal.

   2. the offensive strategy or effectiveness of the team having such an advantage.

3. an action, stratagem, or maneuver, as in politics or business, by which power is concentrated or manipulated in order to subdue a rival or gain control of a situation.

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power play British  

noun

1. behaviour or tactics intended to magnify a person's influence or power

2. the use of brute strength or force of numbers in order to achieve an objective

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Etymology

Origin of power play

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Jake DeBrusk put Vancouver in front on a power play four minutes later, redirecting in a shot from Rossi from the low slot.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

That seemed to wake the slumbering Ducks, with Gauthier getting his second score of the game on a power play 37 seconds later, giving him a team-high 40 goals for the season.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The real power play is for parents to contribute $5,000 a year for 18 years, then help them convert the account to a Roth IRA so that it can ultimately be accessed tax- and penalty-free.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Afridi then removed Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell to leave England wobbling at 35-3 in the power play.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

You stage a power play by conning the older guy out of some fake winnings, then mouth around that you one-upped the boss.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz