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 queen of maximalist beauty also once again demonstrated her expertise in the makeup and hair space by playing with her copper-red locks, debuting curly bangs and mermaid braids among her soft waves. —Pamela Vázquez, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2026

As the advocate spoke with the mother, the boy in the green sneakers played with a box of toys left in the corner of the room. —Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026

When the media are corrupted and play with the truth regarding political and ideological agendas, democracy dies. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026

The sandbox was where children played with no regard to race, religion or hatred. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026