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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Players love getting new toys to play with and these are the newest. Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 This creamy, dewy-finish option comes in 13 cheek colors to play with, including the cool-pink hue named Cheeky, seen above. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 26 June 2025 Ryan Kang/Getty Images The 27-year-old hasn't been shy about his desire to play with former Arizona State teammate and current Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, and adding McLaurin would be a big get for the 49ers offense. Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025 Lita Global is a social platform where users can hire other gamers to play with them online. Bernice Ooi, CNBC, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for play with

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Cite this Entry

“Play with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20with. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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