in play
Not yet dead
In play describes something actively involved in a situation and subject to change or competition.
In sports, a ball is in play when action is live and the ball can legally be played: The ball was still in play when he touched it.
In business, a company is in play when it becomes a takeover target.
More broadly, anything in play is under consideration or up for grabs: Several options are in play.
- ballSpherical plaything or gala
- live ballBall still in play
- runMove swiftly on foot
- matchGame between opponents
- game timeScheduled contest start
field · referee · circulating · active · leverage · option · negotiation · opportunity · available · fair game · on the table · goal · takeover · hostile takeover · up for grabs · open season · contention · stakeholder
- sports idiomsdrop the ball, slam dunk, out of left field, hit it out of the park, knock it out of the park
- card statesface up, face down, discarded, drawn, held
- gamblinggamble, gambling, casinos, casino, bets
- feasibilityfeasibility, feasible, viability, viable, practicality
- operationaloperational, functioning, working, running, active
- up for grabsavailable, unclaimed, untaken, obtainable, on offer
in playoff the table
No longer being considered
out of the question · ruled out · unavailable · excluded · off limits
in playoff the market
Withdrawn from sale
off the table · unavailable · protected · acquired · secured
play, in, player, playful, playing, played, playmate, plays, players