plaything

noun

play·​thing ˈplā-ˌthiŋ How to pronounce plaything (audio)

Examples of plaything in a Sentence

VCRs were once the expensive, high-tech playthings of the rich. We mustn't let the environment become the plaything of oil companies. The emperor used people as his playthings.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But, as Michtom discovered with the Teddy bear, the priorities of the new childhood, coupled with the growing prosperity of American society, had also created a demand for material playthings. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026 Bernhard Goetz believed that these four young men were treating him as a plaything. Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026 Now, Pixar is opening up the Toy box a fifth time for a new movie, which has Woody, Buzz, and the gang facing off against the most diabolical foe a child’s plaything could imagine: screen time. James Grebey, Vulture, 29 Dec. 2025 Unsuspecting moms and dads—and even one aunt—have discovered that children’s playthings can leave grown-ups scratching their heads. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plaything

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plaything was circa 1674

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Cite this Entry

“Plaything.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaything. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

plaything

noun
play·​thing -ˌthiŋ How to pronounce plaything (audio)

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