play with

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

People don’t want to come in this gym and play with that pace. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

The motif appears in necklaces with interlocking links, substantial bracelets, earrings, and rings, each playing with the shape's elegant proportions. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026

But the 35-year-old didn’t resist the lure of retirement last offseason to play with any team. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

By not committing to either stance, Anthropic is playing with fire. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026