as in to expand
to use or develop (something) to get something else that has greater value
He hoped to parlay his basketball skills into a college scholarship.
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Recent Examples of parlay
The majority of winners received steady modeling work after the show, and some eventually parlayed their newfound fame into other endeavors, including hosting or acting — while some have stepped out of the spotlight completely.
—
Catherine Santino, People.com, 20 July 2025
Democrats are now pondering how to harness the power of the protests and parlay it into ongoing excitement for a party that has felt lost and rudderless since former Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Nicole La Ha, who parlayed the title of Mrs. America 2022 into a successful run as Illinois State Representative in the 82nd District, is among the participants.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 June 2025
Álvarez parlayed that into a strong 2014 season (12-7, 2.65) but shoulder problems kept him from ever earning another win.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for parlay
Catherine Santino, People.com, 20 July 2025
Democrats are now pondering how to harness the power of the protests and parlay it into ongoing excitement for a party that has felt lost and rudderless since former Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Nicole La Ha, who parlayed the title of Mrs. America 2022 into a successful run as Illinois State Representative in the 82nd District, is among the participants.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 June 2025
Álvarez parlayed that into a strong 2014 season (12-7, 2.65) but shoulder problems kept him from ever earning another win.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for parlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlay
Verb
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The plan laid out in Tuesday’s staff report proposed a ballot measure that would expand protections for thousands of acres of open space across Irvine.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
26 July 2025
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As of 2025, fiber internet is available to approximately 88.1 million U.S. households (56.5%), but access is expanding rapidly.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Robert drove in Benintendi with a single, extending the lead to 3-0.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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This year, teams will play 44 regular season games each, and the Finals have been extended from a five-game series to a seven-game series.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
19 July 2025
Verb
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Our graduates will now re-enter the market faster, prepared to hit the ground running and accelerate their careers.—
Ryan Anderson,
Arkansas Online,
20 July 2025
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Starvation Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation.—
Nidal al-Mughrabi,
USA Today,
20 July 2025
Verb
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The intelligence chief cited emails from Obama officials and a five-year-old classified House report in hopes of undermining the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to boost Trump and denigrate Clinton.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
24 July 2025
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Visualizing a positive outcome can help reduce anxiety and boost confidence.—
Jason Richmond,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Decades of research and studies in agriculture have increased production across all crops in the U.S., said James, and cannabis can adopt those same technologies.—
Julie Weed,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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The top reason students opt not to pursue higher education is cost, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board states, though having a degree can drastically increase earnings.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Self-awareness is an incredibly important skill to develop to get ahead of the psychological impact of victory.—
Brook Choulet,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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By investing in pedestrian safety, cities can develop more livable, and economically viable communities for future generations.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
Verb
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The Royals must win games and remain in the playoff mix in order to keep their current roster together — and perhaps even augment it.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 July 2025
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This is among the greatest strengths of AI—augmenting human capabilities.—
Hank Boughner,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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In June, the average job search stretched to 23 weeks, or nearly six months.—
Julia Korn,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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The story of Detroit-style pizza stretches back to the city’s automotive roots.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlay. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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