1
as in to recreate
to engage in activity for amusement
told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pose (as)
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity
just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
this is how we're going to play the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself
it's such a delight to watch the children in their play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drama
a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage
we'll be putting on a school play using that stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously
I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of play
Alexander Tin, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief credit analyst and small business expert, said Black History Month is a reminder of resilience, innovation and the vital role Black Americans play in the nation’s economy.
—Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2025
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
Each year in May, this park and the surrounding theatre venues are incubators and platforms for emerging artists to debut plays, dances, and live performances at the Orlando Fringe Festival, the longest-running Fringe in the United States.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play
Verb
Search on for 2-year-old Oregon boy who disappeared while playing in yard
In:
Measles
Alexander Tin
Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief credit analyst and small business expert, said Black History Month is a reminder of resilience, innovation and the vital role Black Americans play in the nation’s economy.
—Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
And his play this season puts him in contention for a second All-NBA selection on a Knicks team fighting to make a deep postseason run after coming up short to the Pacers, 4-3, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals round in 2024.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
Each year in May, this park and the surrounding theatre venues are incubators and platforms for emerging artists to debut plays, dances, and live performances at the Orlando Fringe Festival, the longest-running Fringe in the United States.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
Verb
-
According to a probable-cause affidavit obtained by NJ.com, troopers performing a load securement check asked to examine how the tractor-trailer’s doors were sealed.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Hastings studied at the Berklee College of Music and wrote and performed in the Groundlings sketch comedy/improv group before starting a career in animation.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
In the first clip, Fischer, 25, is lounging in the front seat of the car, watching Love is Blind without a care in the world.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Outside, hotel guests can lounge in two large outdoor pools or visit the a state-of-the-art fitness center with all latest and greatest equipment including Peloton bikes.—
Kate Donnelly,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
But they had been manipulated by homeowners and businesses, and used to block all kinds of new construction.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Editing concerns truly manipulating an image, making changes to particular areas, and adding content like text, shapes, or other images on top of the original.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
To put it another way, corporations don’t care much about which political party is in office.—
Mike Patton,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
-
While Waymo has already put driverless vehicles on the road in cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, industry experts say Tesla is still far from offering a robotaxi service.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Taking a birthing class, aromatherapy and relaxation breathing have all been touted to help women prepare for birth, and evidence suggests that exercising during pregnancy can also make for an easier delivery.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
-
The local couple and wildlife enthusiasts offer both jungle-eco (departing daily at 11 a.m.) and relaxation cruises (departing daily at 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.) year-round.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
To add to the late-game drama, Lillard missed the first free throw.—
Eric Nehm,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Padalecki starred alongside Ackles on the CW sci-fi drama for 15 seasons, from its debut on what was then the WB in 2005 through its series finale in 2020.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Yankees won the World Series in six games, the last of their five consecutive World Series victories.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Each member of the trio has its partisans, with preference usually coming down to where the car was first encountered, whether that be an early Gran Turismo game (the R32), Import Tuner magazine (R33), or FF4 (R34).—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Among the global-facing brands India offers is Pero, an upcycle fashion brand that has gained recognition for its innovative use of fabric scraps to create stunning garments.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Since then, tech companies have laid off tens of thousands of programmers while touting the use of AI to write code.—
Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
9 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to play
Cite this Entry
“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share