play at
phrasal verb
played at; playing at; plays at
1
: to do (something) in a way that is not serious
They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.
2
chiefly British
: to play by pretending to be (someone or something)
She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.
—often used in the phrase play at being (something)boys playing at being soldiers
3
British
—used to say in an annoyed way that one does not know the reason for someone's behavior
What is he playing at?
Examples of play at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
People once came from all over the city and the world to play at his Upper West Side club, the Riverside Table Tennis Club, according to Sports Illustrated.
—
Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
Stroll through the historic downtown, visit the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum to learn more about one of our nation's most intriguing first ladies, and see who's playing at The Millwald Theatre.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2025
That said, Brosmer will have to play at a high level if the Vikings want to upset the Lions, especially if the game turns into a shootout.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
That game was played at a soccer stadium in Carson.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play at
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Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
Stroll through the historic downtown, visit the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum to learn more about one of our nation's most intriguing first ladies, and see who's playing at The Millwald Theatre.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2025
That said, Brosmer will have to play at a high level if the Vikings want to upset the Lions, especially if the game turns into a shootout.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
That game was played at a soccer stadium in Carson.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play at
Cite this Entry
“Play at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20at. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.
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