playground

noun

play·​ground ˈplā-ˌgrau̇nd 

1

: a piece of land used for and usually equipped with facilities for recreation especially by children

2

: an area known or suited for activity of a specified sort

a vacation playground

Examples of playground in a Sentence

The island was a playground of the rich and famous until the 1950s.

These mountains are a playground for hikers, skiers, and nature lovers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Violent crime is virtually nonexistent in Monaco, a city state located on the Mediterranean Sea, home to roughly 40,000 people and known as a playground for the wealthy. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

Virginia Piggott, a retired Army officer, was upset that children were playing on a nearby playground and fired her weapon several times. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Its fundamental charm lies in its playground quality, in its capacity to speak not to our practical adult hopes but to our simple wish to belong. — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

The whole effort turns the country’s vast research enterprise into a political playground, one where support for a particular project or prioritization of a particular disease might only last as long as an election cycle. — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 27 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing playground

• adventure playground

Rhymes for playground

• abound
• aground
• around
• astound
• background
• campground
• clothbound
• confound
• earthbound
• eastbound
• expound
• fairground

Kids Definition

playground

noun

play·​ground ˈplā-ˌgrau̇nd 

: a piece of land used for games and recreation especially by children