play at
phrasal verb
played at; playing at; plays at
1
: to do (something) in a way that is not serious
They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.
2
chiefly British
: to play by pretending to be (someone or something)
She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.
—often used in the phrase play at being (something)boys playing at being soldiers
3
British
—used to say in an annoyed way that one does not know the reason for someone's behavior
What is he playing at?
Examples of play at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sheets has not started or played at all since the Padres traded for, among others, first baseman/corner infielder Ryan O’Hearn.
—
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Competition is no stranger to Fancher, a redshirt senior who has played at both Marshall and FAU.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Glenn didn’t reveal if any of the Jets’ starters will play at Green Bay on Saturday.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Most of us are not used to intentionally employing the power of being a good listener, trusting our own stories, or using word play at work.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play at
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Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Competition is no stranger to Fancher, a redshirt senior who has played at both Marshall and FAU.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Glenn didn’t reveal if any of the Jets’ starters will play at Green Bay on Saturday.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Most of us are not used to intentionally employing the power of being a good listener, trusting our own stories, or using word play at work.
—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play at
Cite this Entry
“Play at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20at. Accessed 10 Aug. 2025.
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