1
as in to recreate
to engage in activity for amusement
told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pose (as)
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank
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4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity
just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
this is how we're going to play the situation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself
it's such a delight to watch the children in their play
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drama
a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage
we'll be putting on a school play using that stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously
I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to use
to take unfair advantage of
the candidate played on the voters' prejudices
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as in to exploit
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
played upon the customer's vanity to convince her to buy the expensive makeup kit
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as in to toy (with)
to handle thoughtlessly, ignorantly, or mischievously
please don't play with the telephone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of play
EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
That was nice to play and just to be in in touch with that.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
In was Paul Maurice who implemented a defense-first, forecheck-heavy, grind-it-out style of play that was almost the antithesis of their free-flowing, high-flying, offensive system that was wildly successful in the regular season but didn’t hold up in the playoffs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play
Verb
But there was just something about playing the comedy of that scene, which is such a shocking moment.
—EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
That was nice to play and just to be in in touch with that.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
Perhaps the assumption is that two teams who are both as consistent as each other and opt to employ a high-octane style of play will cancel each other out.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
In was Paul Maurice who implemented a defense-first, forecheck-heavy, grind-it-out style of play that was almost the antithesis of their free-flowing, high-flying, offensive system that was wildly successful in the regular season but didn’t hold up in the playoffs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
Noun
-
There's a mix of on-the-beach relaxation (pet-friendly!) and off-the-beach amusements, such as go-kart tracks, a handful of mini-golf courses, a number of ice cream shops, and good restaurants.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Try relaxation techniques, such as yoga or meditation.—
Mary Choy,
Verywell Health,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Marsh was appointed Office of the Order of the British Empire in 2012 for her services to drama.—
Elizabeth Stanton,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The series, which ran for five seasons through 1975, won two BAFTA awards, seven Primetime Emmys (including a best drama actress win for Marsh) and a Golden Globe for best drama series.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Profar joins a long list of big leaguers who have tested positive for PEDs and will eventually return to the game as if nothing happened.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The Last of Us' Season 2 premiere features a huge change to the game.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Included in the resort fee are use of beach chairs, umbrellas, hammocks, bicycles, and fishing equipment (including bait).—
Cynthia J Drake,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Versatility Car seat toys that get the most use are ones children can use in multiple ways and for a long time.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Richie buys Harry's ruse regarding Tommy's murder, but there's a catch.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
The wedding started as an elaborate three-way ruse concocted by Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese American man; his white boyfriend, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein); and Wei-Wei, an undocumented Chinese immigrant.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While the podcast segment saw the co-hosts poking fun at his views, the internet did not hold back in its response.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
In a video shared by A Dog's Hideaway, another golden called Butters was equally sleepy after hours of fun at day care.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The premise of the making of a Marilyn musical is the same, but gone are most of the show's characters and the overall premise of the bitter feud between two women vying for the title party.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Professional sports, it’s often said, primes people to view elections as a contest between rivals.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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