play with

phrasal verb

played with; playing with; plays with

1

: to move or handle (something) with one's hands or fingers often without thinking

Stop playing with that pen and pay attention to what I'm saying.

2

: to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way

I played with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.

It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.

Don't play with my heart/emotions.

You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!

3

: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously

I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.

Examples of play with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Lynx play with the slowest pace in the W, maximizing possessions and moving off the ball with patience. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 June 2025

Kapur was an avid polo player and often played with members of the British royal family, including Prince William. —Meredith Kile, People.com, 13 June 2025

Kapur was said to be a regular on the polo circuit and was often seen playing with members of the royal family, including his pal Prince William. —Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025

It should be noted that Messi has celebrated success three times in previous Club World Cups, while playing with Barcelona. —Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025