1
as in recreates
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 performs
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mocks
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 idles
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 manipulates
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
this is how we're going to play the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in puts
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event
figuring that she had little to lose, she played her last few bucks on the state lottery
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in dramas
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
2
as in uses
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
3
as in ruses
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 plays
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Emma D'Arcy plays the adult version of the character across all three seasons.
—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Egyptian star Mona Zaki plays singer Umm Kulthum in the picture tracing the singer’s remarkable journey from a small village in Egypt’s Nile Delta to becoming the most celebrated voice in the Arab world.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
Sometimes bonus plays are parlays, double chances, triple chances, and even some fun plays for that particular event.
—
Jeff Hartman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Each serving provides calcium to help support strong bones and teeth and plays an essential role in healthy muscle, nerve, and cardiovascular function.
—
Taylor Lane,
Flow Space,
30 June 2026
Emotions will be high for both teams, as Ivory Coast plays its first-ever knockout game, and Norway returns to the knockouts for the first time since 1998.
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
30 June 2026
To be an American is to understand the unique role our nation plays in the world.
—
Marc Andersen,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
On the other side of the party, Lestat plays phone tag with Gabs.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
In industry terms, however, in many ways Annecy is a far bigger affair, taking in big box office swings and TV and streaming services’ top plays.
—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
29 June 2026
Her plays and films have been seen at Playwrights Horizons, The Berlin Film Festival and The Museum of Modern Art.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 2026
There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
Second baseman Michael Massey, for example, made two key plays in the second inning.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
And within Gettysburg itself, the Majestic Theater is the go-to destination for plays, film screenings, and music.
—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 June 2026
Making dynamic plays, always in the right spot defensively.
—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
More than any singular North Coast Section title, 40-point game or flashy pass, Sopak pointed to one of basketball’s most basic plays as his favorite memory of coaching Ionescu.
—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 June 2026
Verb
Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philly, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
—
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Emma D'Arcy plays the adult version of the character across all three seasons.
—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Egyptian star Mona Zaki plays singer Umm Kulthum in the picture tracing the singer’s remarkable journey from a small village in Egypt’s Nile Delta to becoming the most celebrated voice in the Arab world.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
Sometimes bonus plays are parlays, double chances, triple chances, and even some fun plays for that particular event.
—
Jeff Hartman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Each serving provides calcium to help support strong bones and teeth and plays an essential role in healthy muscle, nerve, and cardiovascular function.
—
Taylor Lane,
Flow Space,
30 June 2026
Emotions will be high for both teams, as Ivory Coast plays its first-ever knockout game, and Norway returns to the knockouts for the first time since 1998.
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
30 June 2026
To be an American is to understand the unique role our nation plays in the world.
—
Marc Andersen,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
On the other side of the party, Lestat plays phone tag with Gabs.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Noun
Tweets featuring antisemitic dog whistles are also blasted onto an enormous dashboard — hand-me-down technology formerly used by the Patriots during team practice to run plays.
—
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
In industry terms, however, in many ways Annecy is a far bigger affair, taking in big box office swings and TV and streaming services’ top plays.
—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
29 June 2026
Her plays and films have been seen at Playwrights Horizons, The Berlin Film Festival and The Museum of Modern Art.
—
Sarah Schulman,
Literary Hub,
29 June 2026
There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
Second baseman Michael Massey, for example, made two key plays in the second inning.
—
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
And within Gettysburg itself, the Majestic Theater is the go-to destination for plays, film screenings, and music.
—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 June 2026
Making dynamic plays, always in the right spot defensively.
—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
More than any singular North Coast Section title, 40-point game or flashy pass, Sopak pointed to one of basketball’s most basic plays as his favorite memory of coaching Ionescu.
—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays
Verb
-
The agency has opened applications for its next Moon & Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA) mission, a year-long simulation that recreates the isolation, confinement and day-to-day challenges of long-duration space exploration.
-
Corden’s mum and dad are also in attendance for the show, and both take part in the final segment, which recreates a moment from the day’s events.
Verb
-
The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually and about 97% of establishments pass, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
-
This super-simple dessert performs a delicious magic trick in the oven—the berries sink and the topping rises, yielding a stunning summery treat.
Verb
-
One of the moments in the musical that caused the most laughter and claps from the audience was the final song, which mocks the idea of using violence as a form of protest rather than joining a movement or focusing on policy.
-
The group openly mocks Jesus Christ and many Christian and Catholic traditions.
Verb
-
As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.
-
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.
Verb
-
Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-1 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game.
-
Facial massage manipulates big muscles in the face, such as the masseters, temporalis and platysma, as well as fascia.
Verb
-
However, some state workers currently using public transit have questions about capacity, especially as declining state and federal transit funding puts a strain on transit agencies.
-
That puts her in the club of four other millionaire authors on the bench – Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas.
Noun
-
With family-friendly films like 1994'sAngels in the Outfield and gripping dramas like 1998's Beloved, Glover became renowned for his versatility and power onscreen.
-
The Other Bennet Sister was also produced by people who have made a lot of period dramas.
Noun
-
The new measure applies only to those using the public drinking water system for certain uses, and wouldn’t apply to people using private wells, canal water or an irrigation provider, city spokesperson Abby Haydin said.
-
Vintage wooden crates have practical uses beyond transporting food, games, and other picnic essentials.
Cite this Entry
“Plays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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