1
as in to recreate
to engage in activity for amusement
told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pose (as)
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior
stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity
just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
this is how we're going to play the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself
it's such a delight to watch the children in their play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drama
a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage
we'll be putting on a school play using that stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously
I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of play
Donald Fountain, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
South Gate and South East are set to play in a Friday night Eastern League basketball game.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2026
The finished model looks good as part of a Lego Star Wars collection and is robust enough for play.
—Rich Owen, Space.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play
Verb
Collins also has a background in playing traditional classical music.
—Donald Fountain, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
South Gate and South East are set to play in a Friday night Eastern League basketball game.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
Covenant Classical thumps Denton Calvary Covenant Classical improves to 8-0 in TAPPS District 1-3A play after a 77-40 win over Denton Calvary.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2026
The finished model looks good as part of a Lego Star Wars collection and is robust enough for play.
—Rich Owen, Space.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
Verb
-
Starting at $1,500 Rock band The Killers will perform Super Bowl weekend at the Palace of Fine Arts, headlining a night of music and magic.—
Lauren Chapman,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Stenvik cancelled the annual all-district band concert, scheduled for last week, in which players from the elementary, middle, and high schools perform together on one stage.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The pieces are made of a soft, wrinkle-resistant material that’s comfortable for traveling or lounging at home.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Over at the three tiers of pools during a late spring weekend visit, couples in stylish swimsuits lounged around the adult’s only pool, groups of friends sipped margs while wading in the main Mother-of-Pearl pool, and kids frolicked in the separate splash pad area.—
Lizbeth Scordo,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Over the past year, security researchers have been warning that hackers are increasingly targeting the technology behind global shipping, quietly manipulating systems that move goods worth millions of dollars.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The messages—widely condemned as vulgar, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic—also revealed discussions about manipulating media coverage, targeting political opponents, and casual references to the misuse of public funds.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rieder’s comments put him within the then-consensus among economists and even Fed officials who believed inflation would not become a persistent problem.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Collections and designers put their best foot forward, delivering high-caliber collections — some were uplifting, others were thought-provoking, most were both.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Before treatments, guests can recline indoors with homemade lavender popcorn or enjoy sitting outside in the charming relaxation space filled with herbs and flowers.—
Asonta Benetti,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In addition, some herbal teas may help reduce stress, promote relaxation, or improve digestion.—
Ann Pietrangelo,
Verywell Health,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After 11 episodes, Marinaro exited to join the cast of NBC’s groundbreaking crime drama Hill Street Blues.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Before joining Amazon, Lancaster was Alcon Television Group President and head of drama at NBC; Pepper was President of Legendary Television and Head of Television for the Mark Gordon Company.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Chea finished with 11 points for Princeton (18-2, 6-1 Ivy League), which rebounded from a 73-67 loss to Columbia on Friday that ended the Tigers' 15-game win streak.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Norwegian Volunteer Aid has sent salmon-fishing nets that would normally be recycled after use.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The editorial board then throws in the new scare tactic for good measure at the end, claiming that there is some terrifying epidemic of puking, screaming and hospitalizations as the result of THC use (relying on spotty data, none of which has been linked to THC beverages).—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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