play-by-play

noun

Definition of play-by-playnext
as in commentary
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for play-by-play
  1. commentary
  2. analysis
Noun
  • In the years preceding his 2003 indictment for making false immigration claims, Jamal became an outspoken advocate whom local media began to heavily rely on to provide Somali-specific or Muslim-centric commentary.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
  • However, tracking the trends in the report helps in our understanding of the economic backdrop in which our companies are operating, along with official government data and companies’ results and commentary.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of commentary
Noun
  • The typical analysis of our continent — low growth, little liquidity, endless bureaucracy — doesn’t apply to Sweden.
    — Jan Larsson, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Their analysis also considered 20 representative EV models from 15 manufacturers.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of analysis
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

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play-by-play
play-by-plays
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Cite this Entry

“Play-by-play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play-by-play. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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