play to

phrasal verb

played to; playing to; plays to
1
: to behave or perform in a particular way for (someone or something) in order to get approval or attention
He didn't mean what he was saying. He was just playing to the crowd.
He loves publicity and plays to the cameras every chance he gets.
2
: to make use of (something)
a film that plays to stereotypes of housewives
In his latest album, he once again plays to his strengths as a classical musician.

Examples of play to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Highlands course plays to a par of 71 and can stretch out to 7,005 yards, giving a variety of options to golfers of all abilities. Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 The repertoire frequently played to Batallán’s strong points. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 The Panthers have played to the point where the dynasty conversation has come up, and Barkov is one of many superstars on the roster that will return for the 2025-26 season. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025 The color is so punchy and plays to the tomato-girl summer aesthetic that’s been making the rounds on social media. Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for play to

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Cite this Entry

“Play to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20to. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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