state of play
A British idiom meaning the current state of affairs — where things stand right now in any given situation.
Seen in the wild
How Iran sees the state of play this morning: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy said safe and stable passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be ensured after what it described as the neutralization of “aggressor th…
while I don’t think his rational brain is up to making those cognitive leaps, I agree that the smoking crater of his lizard brain sees the general outline of the state of play and goes in the direction of least resist…
I think I remember it being announced at a State of Play last year, but I don't think there was much promotion afterwards.
📣State of Play📣 Swipe to read through updates from DC!
I do remember seeing its reveal at a State of Play, I more so meant I just haven't heard any buzz about it since, especially now around its release. But I could just be totally out of the loop.
Definitions
A British idiom meaning the current state of affairs — where things stand right now in any given situation. Originally a cricket and sports term describing the score and conditions at any given moment, it migrated into general usage to describe the status of any ongoing situation: a negotiation, a project, a relationship, a political crisis. Very common in British journalism, business meetings, and everyday conversation. If your boss asks for 'the state of play', they want a status update.
Before we make any decisions, can someone give us the state of play on the merger negotiations?
Comments
(UK) The current situation (typically in sports).
“How Iran sees the state of play this morning: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy said safe and stable passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be ensured after what it described as the neutralization of “aggressor threats” and the introduction of new maritime protocols. more…”
— Bluesky· May 2026“while I don’t think his rational brain is up to making those cognitive leaps, I agree that the smoking crater of his lizard brain sees the general outline of the state of play and goes in the direction of least resistance.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I think I remember it being announced at a State of Play last year, but I don't think there was much promotion afterwards.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“📣State of Play📣 Swipe to read through updates from DC!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I do remember seeing its reveal at a State of Play, I more so meant I just haven't heard any buzz about it since, especially now around its release. But I could just be totally out of the loop.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "state of play".
🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "state of play" (S)
Browse all slang words starting with S.