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

On the lawn of Jim Gilliam Park on Saturday, supporters from across the city chanted Pratt’s name, took selfies in front of black campaign vans with his hummingbird logo and ate cookies decorated with his face as kids raced around on scooters and played with the handful of dogs attending. —Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026

Portland shot it well and played with more urgency. —Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026

In his free time, SJ also likes playing with toy cars, coloring and making creative art projects. —The Star, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2026

The space feels casual but deliberate, with garden beds, a broad veranda and an open kitchen turning out a Chef's Choice menu that plays with whole-plant and whole-animal cooking. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026