play for laughs
idiom
: to act in a funny way that makes people laugh
She's fantastic in serious roles, but she also knows how to play for laughs.
Most performers would have taken a serious tone during the scene, but he decided to play it for laughs.
Examples of play for laughs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rogan may play for laughs on his podcast, but none of his Covid jokes are funny, a group of doctors argue.
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NBC News, 29 Apr. 2021
NBC News, 29 Apr. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play for laughs.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near play for laughs
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“Play for laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20for%20laughs. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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