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
Dak Prescott continues to play at a high level, and the Cowboys' defense has also improved.
—
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Obviously, playing at a service academy is a big decision, a big obligation.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Both teams have changed since then with Vancouver’s signing of Muller and Miami playing at a torrid pace of late, outscoring its opponents 13-1 in the past three playoff games.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Another is that Kansas City is more optimistic about Taylor playing at right tackle than publicly indicated.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play at
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James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Obviously, playing at a service academy is a big decision, a big obligation.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Both teams have changed since then with Vancouver’s signing of Muller and Miami playing at a torrid pace of late, outscoring its opponents 13-1 in the past three playoff games.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Another is that Kansas City is more optimistic about Taylor playing at right tackle than publicly indicated.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 4 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 8 Dec. 2025.
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