power play

noun

1
: a military, diplomatic, political, or administrative maneuver in which power is brought to bear
2
a
: a concentrated attack in football in which the ballcarrier is preceded by a mass of blockers
b
: a situation in ice hockey in which one team temporarily has more players on the ice than the other team because of a penalty

Examples of power play in a Sentence

They scored their first goal on a power play. He made a power play to seize control of the company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Panthers kill a pair of Oilers power plays to stay up 2-0 When second period play was five-on-five, the Panthers got their forecheck working and were extending some Oilers shifts in the period with the benches farther from the defensive zone. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025 On the power play, guy made a great shot, post and in. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2025 The Oilers gave the Panthers three power plays in the opening frame a game after giving them four in the first 20 minutes. The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 13 June 2025 The Bruins were 28th in goals scored, 26th in goals against, 29th in power play and 24th in penalty kill. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for power play

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of power play was in 1947

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Power play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20play. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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