outplay
verb
out·play
ˌau̇t-ˈplā 
outplayed; outplaying; outplays
: to play better than
especially
: to outdo in playing a game
The Knicks took a 21-point lead in the first half, gave up 18 consecutive points in the third quarter, but outplayed the Kings down the stretch to win … —
The Times Union (Albany, New York)
The Times Union (Albany, New York) Examples of outplay in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since coming from the Saints to the Bengals on a four-year, $60 million contract, Hendrickson consistently outplayed his deal and earned two pay raises.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
They were just getting outplayed.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
The Horns outplayed a good basketball team down the stretch.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Tarasov has also outplayed Bobrovsky thus far this season, albeit in more limited action.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
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Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
They were just getting outplayed.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
The Horns outplayed a good basketball team down the stretch.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Tarasov has also outplayed Bobrovsky thus far this season, albeit in more limited action.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outplay
Cite this Entry
“Outplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outplay. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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