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.
Robertson ended up scoring on a power play 4 minutes, 58 seconds into the second period. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Brunet trimmed the Ducks’ lead with his first goal early in the second, connecting on a power play in the 23-year-old defenseman’s sixth NHL game. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Martone returned the favor on a power play late in the period, firing a shot toward the net that Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark stopped. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 New Jersey's Nico Daws was perfect until Pavel Dorofeyev scored a deflection goal on a power play in the third and finished with 18 saves. — CBS News, 16 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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