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
Critics have also raised concerns about the use of private donors, suggesting there could be a conflict of interest at play.
—
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 25 Oct. 2025
Instead, the exotic nuclear physics at play within neutron stars seems to override this and balance things out.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The easiest way to fool yourself is to do something that gives you the right answer without taking the full suite of what must be at play into account.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Henry's desire for a male heir -- and a new wife who might provide one -- was the immediate catalyst, but other factors were also at play, involving the English crown's seizure of church assets and the growth of Protestant ideas in England.
—Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at play
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Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 25 Oct. 2025
Instead, the exotic nuclear physics at play within neutron stars seems to override this and balance things out.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The easiest way to fool yourself is to do something that gives you the right answer without taking the full suite of what must be at play into account.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Henry's desire for a male heir -- and a new wife who might provide one -- was the immediate catalyst, but other factors were also at play, involving the English crown's seizure of church assets and the growth of Protestant ideas in England.
—Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 23 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2025.
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