power play

noun

1
: a military, diplomatic, political, or administrative maneuver in which power is brought to bear
2
a
: a concentrated attack in football in which the ballcarrier is preceded by a mass of blockers
b
: a situation in ice hockey in which one team temporarily has more players on the ice than the other team because of a penalty

Examples of power play in a Sentence

They scored their first goal on a power play. He made a power play to seize control of the company.
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.
Despite the collaborative nature of Act V, the power play came out when Usher sat on a throne with a diamond crown— seemingly asserting himself as R&B’s King. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 25 Oct. 2026 The game remained tied through the remainder of the third period, despite multiple power play opportunities and scoring chances for both teams. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Kuemper cracked for the first time with just under six minutes left in the second period when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot squeezed through on a power play. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Robertson ended up scoring on a power play 4 minutes, 58 seconds into the second period. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for power play

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of power play was in 1947

Rhymes for power play

See All Rhymes for power play

Browse Nearby Words

power plant
power play
power point
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Power play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20play. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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