play-by-plays

Definition of play-by-playsnext
plural of play-by-play
as in analyses
a series of explanations or observations on something (as an event) on Monday mornings she usually gives her coworkers a detailed play-by-play on how her weekend date went

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for play-by-plays
Noun
  • To identify the hydrogenobody—and confirm its role in methane production—the new study’s authors combined genetic analyses of hundreds of rumen ciliate genomes with detailed imaging of the microbes, as well as real-life methane measurements from dairy cows.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But these kinds of analyses are expensive and time-consuming, and predictive results are limited.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Pau’s videos, operating both as personal diaries and layered social commentaries, reflect a territorial condition mired in uncertainty.
    Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • To go with touring, acting, and writing, Gaffigan also does commentaries for CBS Sunday Morning.
    Patrick Damp, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For four of these systems, the observations were sensitive enough to allow the astronomers to measure the masses of the component stars from first principles, independent of any guidance from theoretical models.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play-by-plays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play-by-plays. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster