play-by-play
adjective
ˈplā-ˌbī-ˌplā 
ˌplā-ˌbī-ˈplā
1
: being or giving a running commentary on a sports event
a radio play-by-play announcer
2
: relating each event as it occurs
play-by-play
noun
Examples of play-by-play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans The familiar Joe Buck-Troy Aikman duo is handling the play-by-play call in Houston, while Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge are on the sideline.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Read on for a full play-by-play recap of the 77th annual Emmy Awards.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Frank Quirarte, piloting his new Yamaha WaveRunner, narrated a play-by-play for his Instagram live feed.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The broadcast will feature analysis from former MLB player and Ripken Baseball co-founder Bill Ripken alongside play-by-play announcer Zach Bigley.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play-by-play
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Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Read on for a full play-by-play recap of the 77th annual Emmy Awards.
—Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Frank Quirarte, piloting his new Yamaha WaveRunner, narrated a play-by-play for his Instagram live feed.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The broadcast will feature analysis from former MLB player and Ripken Baseball co-founder Bill Ripken alongside play-by-play announcer Zach Bigley.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play-by-play
Cite this Entry
“Play-by-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play-by-play. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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