play host to
idiomatic phrase
: to serve as a host for (someone or something)
Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.
As travel to the Third World has expanded, so, too, has concern about the damage wrought by mass tourism on the people and places that play host to wandering North Americans and Europeans.—
Ira Silver
Ira SilverSt. John's meets No. 3-ranked Duke and the Big East rival Miami on the road, and will play host to No. 4 Syracuse, No. 13 Connecticut and surging Seton Hall at the Garden.—Jon Drape
Jon DrapeThe grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.—Kay Clark
Kay ClarkExamples of play host to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team will play host to a program-record 10 opponents that were NCAA Tournament participants last season.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2025
Oakmont Country Club, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, is playing host to the 2025 U.S. Open this week.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
This weekend, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. will play host to the largest military parade in the U.S. in decades, replete with thousands of soldiers, tanks, parachute jumpers, artillery and dramatic flyovers from vintage warplanes.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 13 June 2025
To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, Washington D.C. will play host to a national military parade on Saturday, June 14.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for play host to
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The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2025
Oakmont Country Club, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, is playing host to the 2025 U.S. Open this week.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
This weekend, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. will play host to the largest military parade in the U.S. in decades, replete with thousands of soldiers, tanks, parachute jumpers, artillery and dramatic flyovers from vintage warplanes.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 13 June 2025
To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, Washington D.C. will play host to a national military parade on Saturday, June 14.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for play host to
Cite this Entry
“Play host to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20host%20to. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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