play with
phrasal verb
played with; playing with; plays with
1
: to move or handle (something) with one's hands or fingers often without thinking
Stop playing with that pen and pay attention to what I'm saying.
2
: to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way
I played with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.
It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.
Don't play with my heart/emotions.
You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!
3
: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously
I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.
Examples of play with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nearly 200,000 kids play kitchens have been recalled for a strangulation hazard after a child died while playing with one.
—
Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The Chargers opened preseason play with a 34-7 victory over the turnover-prone Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 31 July 2025
Spending quality time with your cat is key—whether that's playing with a feather toy, lounging on the couch, or walking in the yard on a leash.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Prior to playing professionally, Clark became a household name while playing with the University of Iowa from 2020 to 2024.
—Caroline Blair, People.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for play with
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Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The Chargers opened preseason play with a 34-7 victory over the turnover-prone Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 31 July 2025
Spending quality time with your cat is key—whether that's playing with a feather toy, lounging on the couch, or walking in the yard on a leash.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Prior to playing professionally, Clark became a household name while playing with the University of Iowa from 2020 to 2024.
—Caroline Blair, People.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for play with
Cite this Entry
“Play with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20with. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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