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

She was raised in California, in a home where mariachi music was played at family gatherings and quinceañeras were celebrated. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025

There’s kind of a false trope in the way most romantic movies or books are played at the end, which is happily ever after. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025

The games will be played at MGM Grand Garden Arena, in the MGM Resort on the Las Vegas Strip. —Dana O'Neil, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025

Mahomes is back to playing at an MVP level, supported by solid protection and a healthy arsenal of pass-catchers. —Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for play at

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat