play at

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

With 40 seconds left on the clock, the Chiefs had a fourth-down play at the Broncos’ 17-yard line. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

Based on death certificates alone, a total of 1,712 people who played at least one NFL game since helmets became compulsory in 1949 died between 2008 and 2021. — Mike McRae 15, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026

Players in the top 50 of the all-time money list who played at least 15 events in 2027 have a one-time exemption into the 2028 Championship Series. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Each game is built to play magnetically on the wall or to be easily removed and played at a table. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for play at

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