play at

phrasal verb

played at; playing at; plays at

1

: to do (something) in a way that is not serious

They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.

2

chiefly British : to play by pretending to be (someone or something)

She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.

—often used in the phrase play at being (something)

boys playing at being soldiers

3

British

—used to say in an annoyed way that one does not know the reason for someone's behavior

What is he playing at?

Examples of play at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Weaver, who runs a 3-4 system with the Dolphins, played at Notre Dame and has seven seasons of NFL coaching experience, with his most extensive background as a defensive line coach. —Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025

Who is playing at Napa Valley music festival in 2025? BottleRock Napa Valley features more than 75 bands playing on five music stages. —Sarah Linn, Sacramento Bee, 13 Jan. 2025

Seven members of the nine-man rotation had never experienced the crazed Lobos fans, and four had never played at altitude (and only one had played extended minutes above 4,500 feet). —Gqlshare, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025

Harris played 32 minutes, moving him into second place in minutes played at KU (4,509). —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 Jan. 2025