play with

phrasal verb

played with; playing with; plays with

1

: to move or handle (something) with one's hands or fingers often without thinking

Stop playing with that pen and pay attention to what I'm saying.

2

: to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way

I played with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.

It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.

Don't play with my heart/emotions.

You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!

3

: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously

I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.

Examples of play with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Kids are obsessed with the magic of Hatchimals, while my daughters spend hours playing with their Barbie camping set and Barbie Dreamhouse Pool Party Doll House. —Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 8 July 2025

Pavlyuchenkova, who was one point away from winning that game, stopped playing with the ball landing outside the court. —Ben Morse, CNN Money, 7 July 2025

As a center back, Arias can control the pitch and direct the vision of play with strength that holds the backline together. —Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 7 July 2025

Put her in a tub of water, give her dolls to play with, shoes, put her under that table with her dog. —Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 7 July 2025