How to Use in play in a Sentence

in play

phrase
  • Just tried to put the ball in play, try to help my team to win.
    — Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
  • Larkin is still in play, though things have been pretty quiet on that end.
    — Joe Smith, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • With a pump, the same balls are still in play years later—scuffed and patched but still alive.
    — Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This relative improvement now has been in play for over a year.
    — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But Williams said neither of those options is in play for this season.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • But goalies can’t participate in play past the center ice red line?
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 16 July 2026
  • But largely, the first four days have seen matchups hold, and one of the finer balances in tennis is back in play.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • Both of their adaptations are still in play, with the second not canceling out the first.
    — David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • That’s probably not the surprising part — his speed has always been in play.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
  • Smith and Thompson are the most obvious two characters, but more could be in play.
    — Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Sidelined by a series of wars, the agenda is once again in play, with national elections due this fall.
    — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 10 July 2026
  • But in the case of conditional picks, only the year the pick was actually used is in play.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • But those magical moments—when your child gets completely absorbed in play—may seem few and far between.
    — Michelle Crouch, Parents, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Tierney was careful to note that even with two books’ worth of story now in play, the show isn’t built to withhold plot from its audience.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And while Miller's seat was not seen as a likely flip for Democrats, a cascading scandal could put the seat in play.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The framework has tiers for a reason, and for the first time since OpenAI built it, the top tier is in play.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Many of the soccer balls our travelers brought years ago are still in play—not because of who handed them over but because of who made sure there was a pump.
    — Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • There were other factors in play explaining the lack of strong Heat interest in each of those players.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But, to ensure you're asked back or find yourself with guests who are eager for a repeat invite, certain etiquette rules should be in play.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
  • And given the fact that the Sabres made two first-round picks last month, putting the 2027 first-round pick in play would make sense.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • Yash always asks guests to share their non-negotiables, which immediately narrows which camps are in play.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026
  • Seventeen of the 20 outs Holmes recorded came from balls in play, and 11 of those were groundouts.
    — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The first 11 Lake Mary hitters in the continuous lineup failed to put the ball in play.
    — Steve Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
  • There was some irony in play, as when Casey first started getting tattoos seven or so years earlier, Gary didn’t like them.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2026
  • But there are some very intriguing narratives in play after the genre of TV went through a renaissance this year.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 6 July 2026
  • Cooling inflation could change the outlook for mortgage rates, but several factors remain in play.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Grier could have pressed forward with putting either in play for a roster player to significantly affect his team right now.
    — Eric Stephens, New York Times, 28 June 2026
  • That’s why, next year, $60 oil is in play, according to JPMorgan.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • At the end of each half, the referee usually — although not always — tacks on some ‘additional time’ to make up for stoppages in play.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Certainly, if a position sustains damage, Tobin would never block off the idea of adding, and that’s in play every year.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in play.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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