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 Heat plays at New Orleans on Friday and plays host to the Wizards on Sunday.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2025
This weekend, Enterprise Center in St. Louis will play host to the 2o25 edition of the NCAA Frozen Four.
—Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
It’s long been suggested that a new stadium could put the Chiefs in the mix for playing host to the most popular sporting events in the world, but at least regarding the Super Bowl, Donovan isn’t operating on pure hope.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2025
And even though North Dakota hasn’t qualified for the 16-team tournament the last two times Fargo has played host to a regional, fans from the other side of the Red River have stepped in and snapped up any available seats in the 6,000-seat venue.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025
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Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2025
This weekend, Enterprise Center in St. Louis will play host to the 2o25 edition of the NCAA Frozen Four.
—Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
It’s long been suggested that a new stadium could put the Chiefs in the mix for playing host to the most popular sporting events in the world, but at least regarding the Super Bowl, Donovan isn’t operating on pure hope.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2025
And even though North Dakota hasn’t qualified for the 16-team tournament the last two times Fargo has played host to a regional, fans from the other side of the Red River have stepped in and snapped up any available seats in the 6,000-seat venue.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 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 13 Apr. 2025.
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