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
The top 16 seeds in the 68-team field will host first- and second-round games, with the regional rounds being played at two neutral sites for the fourth consecutive year.
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Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Also Saturday, fourth-place Villarreal is playing at mid-table Getafe, and Sevilla faces Alaves in a duel between two strugglers.
—ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
On the court, one of the biggest challenges will be finding a way to counter Wolfpack point guard Quadir Copeland, a 6-6 senior who previously played at Syracuse and McNeese State.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The pair were joined not only by their peers at Naperville North, but also by students at West Aurora High School, Lisle High School, Lockport High School and home school students, who were playing at Sure Shot Pickleball in Naperville.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
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Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Also Saturday, fourth-place Villarreal is playing at mid-table Getafe, and Sevilla faces Alaves in a duel between two strugglers.
—ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
On the court, one of the biggest challenges will be finding a way to counter Wolfpack point guard Quadir Copeland, a 6-6 senior who previously played at Syracuse and McNeese State.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The pair were joined not only by their peers at Naperville North, but also by students at West Aurora High School, Lisle High School, Lockport High School and home school students, who were playing at Sure Shot Pickleball in Naperville.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
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 15 Feb. 2026.
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