airplay

noun

air·play ˈer-ˌplā

: the playing of a musical recording on the air by a radio station

a song getting a lot of airplay

Examples of airplay in a Sentence

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.

Sales, touring impact, radio airplay, and peer recognition all play a role, but there are no set benchmarks that a candidate must hit. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026 That is not the case on the Billboard Hot 100, which ranks the most popular songs in the nation using streams, sales and radio airplay. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 The former cracked the top 10 on Spain's radio airplay chart. — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 19 June 2026 No one has to compete for airplay or video placements or even Billboard slots anymore to get exposure; the online algorithm is both a free-for-all and the end-all-be-all. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for airplay

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of airplay was in 1942

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

air plant

airplay

air plot

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Airplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airplay. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

airplay

noun

Examples of airplay in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tilde

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes