in play
Idioms-
In action or operation. For example, A number of conflicting forces were in play, so the outcome was uncertain . It is also put as bring into play , meaning “to put into action,” as in The surprise witness brought new evidence into play . [Mid-1600s]
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In sports, in a position to be legally or feasibly played, as in The ball is now in play . [Late 1700s]
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In business, in a position for a possible corporate takeover, as in After a news item said the company was in play, the price of its stock began to rise . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1900s]
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.
With multiple retirement accounts, a home sale, a change in residency and future RMDs all in play, the decisions you make today will influence one another for years to come.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
That no longer seems to be in play.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
"There is strategy in play, different heights and orders," said Tanfield, the veteran of this team at 29.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Mark Peter Simmonds, director of science at OceanCare, likened it to "human formal meals where socialising as well as nutrition are in play".
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
I’ve never seen this power-up in play during a regular Warcross match, and only a handful of times in an official tournament game.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
