at play
phrase
1
: in the act of playing
the sounds of children at play
2
: being something that helps produce or influence a result
Several issues are at play in determining the price of gasoline.
Examples of at play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And Dialogue Is Often To Blame There are actually two problems at play here.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
One issue at play was the climactic fight, which was reconfigured.
—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
One detail in particular about her gameday look instantly caught our eye—but how could it not, given the major sparkle factor at play?
—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
1 July 2026
While industrial demand for silver does influence the metal’s price, there are other forces at play.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for at play
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
One issue at play was the climactic fight, which was reconfigured.
—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
One detail in particular about her gameday look instantly caught our eye—but how could it not, given the major sparkle factor at play?
—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
1 July 2026
While industrial demand for silver does influence the metal’s price, there are other forces at play.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for at play
Cite this Entry
“At play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20play. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
