play to

phrasal verb

played to; playing to; plays to

1

: to behave or perform in a particular way for (someone or something) in order to get approval or attention

He didn't mean what he was saying. He was just playing to the crowd.

He loves publicity and plays to the cameras every chance he gets.

2

: to make use of (something)

a film that plays to stereotypes of housewives

In his latest album, he once again plays to his strengths as a classical musician.

Examples of play to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Villa Park led for almost the entire game, going ahead 3-2 on Salem’s three-point play to never trail after that. —Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026

Therein lies the conundrum of the show — Gizelle is the most propulsive member of the cast and its anchoring force, and without Karen in play to really keep her in check, the vibe and tenor of the cast accommodates her whims. —Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026

Then last Friday the Eagles and fellow soccer power Cedar Park played to a fierce 1-1 draw. —Butch Hart, Austin American Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026

Williams pulled off an all-time play to force overtime. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for play to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou