at play
idiom
1
: in the act of playing
the sounds of children at play
2
: being something that helps produce or influence a result
Several issues are at play in determining the price of gasoline.
Examples of at play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Consumer prices rarely come down en masse – unless there are larger economic issues at play, like a recession.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
There were some geographical considerations at play.
—Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Here are five key issues at play in the pivotal race for Miami mayor.
—Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Here are the factors at play that could help determine how often to water Christmas cactus.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at play
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.
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
There were some geographical considerations at play.
—Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Here are five key issues at play in the pivotal race for Miami mayor.
—Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Here are the factors at play that could help determine how often to water Christmas cactus.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at play
Cite this Entry
“At play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20play. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share