play at
phrasal verb
played at; playing at; plays at
1
: to do (something) in a way that is not serious
They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.
2
chiefly British
: to play by pretending to be (someone or something)
She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.
—often used in the phrase play at being (something)boys playing at being soldiers
3
British
—used to say in an annoyed way that one does not know the reason for someone's behavior
What is he playing at?
Examples of play at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Aztecs play at Boise State Wednesday night.
—
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The Spurs are set to host Sacramento in a game that will be played at Moody Center on the University of Texas campus.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 22 Feb. 2026
The Tommies play at Bemidji State.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 22 Feb. 2026
By age 13, Colón had started a band and played at some weddings and in the bustling nightclubs of New York City.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play at
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Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The Spurs are set to host Sacramento in a game that will be played at Moody Center on the University of Texas campus.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 22 Feb. 2026
The Tommies play at Bemidji State.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 22 Feb. 2026
By age 13, Colón had started a band and played at some weddings and in the bustling nightclubs of New York City.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play at
Cite this Entry
“Play at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20at. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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