play up

verb

played up; playing up; plays up

Examples of play up in a Sentence

that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If the players play up to their full potential, the Packers are going to be very difficult for opposing defenses to stop. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 His average four-seam fastball velocity is down quite a bit from pre-injury levels, at 95.1 mph, but the pitch has played up a bit while its usage is way down. Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Frankly, anybody playing up front in between Lamine Yamal and Raphinha should not be struggling for goalscoring opportunities. Andy Jones, New York Times, 21 May 2025 The whitepaper had similar narratives, calling for self-reliance and playing up the country’s role as a stabilizing force amid global uncertainty. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for play up

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play up was in 1814

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

play up

verb

More from Merriam-Webster on play up

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