as in spends
to make complete use of
we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal
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Recent Examples of plays out
The details of LeVestiaire highlight exactly how that balance plays out.
—
Lauren Harano, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The conservative Justices on the nation’s highest court seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for firing Cook and wanting to keep her out of her post while the litigation plays out.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
With Maguire, the ball is in United’s court, and the club are likely to see how the season plays out.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The ruling will remain paused while the government’s appeal plays out.
—Peter Blumberg, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Duke agreed to arbitration, Mensah can assert, and no court should intervene until arbitration plays out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The chapter plays out almost like an extended scene out of a Mike Leigh film.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
In Indonesia, that competition plays out in the clearest terms.
—Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The struggle plays out repeatedly across Chicago.
—Miguel Chacon, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Lauren Harano, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The conservative Justices on the nation’s highest court seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for firing Cook and wanting to keep her out of her post while the litigation plays out.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
With Maguire, the ball is in United’s court, and the club are likely to see how the season plays out.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The ruling will remain paused while the government’s appeal plays out.
—Peter Blumberg, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Duke agreed to arbitration, Mensah can assert, and no court should intervene until arbitration plays out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The chapter plays out almost like an extended scene out of a Mike Leigh film.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
In Indonesia, that competition plays out in the clearest terms.
—Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The struggle plays out repeatedly across Chicago.
—Miguel Chacon, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays out
Verb
-
The new fee structure charges a $60 per hour rate, even if an inspector only spends a half-hour on the property.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
New York City spends more money per capita than any other major city in the country, but there’s no way to save money.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The third might buy time but at the cost of leaving the market undersupplied with term credit, and with the fundamental fiscal problem still worsening as deficits compound and debt service consumes an ever-larger share of federal outlays.—
Daniel J. Arbess,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
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For starters, figure skating no longer consumes her life, freeing Liu to enjoy the stage more than ever.—
Elliott Almond,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Use a good quality potting mix that drains well in the container.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Make sure to empty any excess water that drains into the saucer to keep the roots from getting soggy.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Gauff’s movement often exhausts her opponents.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a recent bid to boost transparency, Homeland Security announced a broad rollout of body cameras for immigration officers in Minneapolis as the government draws down ICE’s presence there.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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In a recent bid to boost transparency, DHS announced a broad rollout of body cameras for immigration officers in Minneapolis as the government also draws down ICE's presence there.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By leveraging light to enhance oxygen electrochemistry, the approach reduces energy losses and extends device lifetime without relying on precious metals.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The hostage standoff ultimately reduces both men into victims, revealing where power really lies.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors and absorbs any moisture.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
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Their dark color also absorbs more solar heat, which can accelerate natural melting during the day.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of treating touch as a simple raw pressure input, the system uses neuromorphic encoding (modeled from biological nerves) to translate force into rapid electrical spikes.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
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Bell-Johnson is known as One Leg and uses a prosthetic limb after losing his leg as a child in a train accident.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated February 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plays out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20out. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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