play host to
idiomatic phrase
: to serve as a host for (someone or something)
Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.
As travel to the Third World has expanded, so, too, has concern about the damage wrought by mass tourism on the people and places that play host to wandering North Americans and Europeans.—
Ira Silver
Ira SilverSt. John's meets No. 3-ranked Duke and the Big East rival Miami on the road, and will play host to No. 4 Syracuse, No. 13 Connecticut and surging Seton Hall at the Garden.—Jon Drape
Jon DrapeThe grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.—Kay Clark
Kay ClarkExamples of play host to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Millennium Media owns a film production studio in Bulgaria, Nu Boyana, which has played host to many of its own projects and others including 300: Rise of an Empire.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
The reigning Division 1 champion plays host to Los Alamitos on Wednesday in a key Sunset League match.
—Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 8 Oct. 2024
Team Serbia and other national teams were playing exhibitions to prepare for the Olympics in the same venue that will play host to the Nuggets and Celtics on Friday.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2024
O’Donovan Zoomed with Variety from her home in Orlando (which will also play host to a forthcoming symphonic show, conducted by her husband) to talk about the tour, the album and a new EP that offers more minimalistic arrangements of the songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play host to 
Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
The reigning Division 1 champion plays host to Los Alamitos on Wednesday in a key Sunset League match.
—Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 8 Oct. 2024
Team Serbia and other national teams were playing exhibitions to prepare for the Olympics in the same venue that will play host to the Nuggets and Celtics on Friday.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2024
O’Donovan Zoomed with Variety from her home in Orlando (which will also play host to a forthcoming symphonic show, conducted by her husband) to talk about the tour, the album and a new EP that offers more minimalistic arrangements of the songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play host to
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play host to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Play host to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20host%20to. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
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