: one that plays: such as
a
: a person who plays a game
a baseball player
a chess player
She's one of the team's best players.
b
: a person who plays a musical instrument
a piano player
c
: actor
… what drew these audiences was the emergence of the movie star from the ranks of the wholly anonymous players of a decade earlier.—
David Nasaw
David Nasaw
d
: a device or service that reproduces recorded material (such as video images or music)
You can listen to the full episode using the media player above (or wherever you listen to podcasts).—Tan Vinh
—often used with a specified mediumTan Vinha digital media player
e
: one actively involved especially in a competitive field or process : participant
a key player in politics
f
or less commonly playa
US slang
: a person and especially a man who has many lovers
Handsome and a well-paid professional, Keith, 35, chose to be a player, juggling a series of relatively brief and sometimes over-lapping intimate relationships with women.—Michel Marriott
Michel MarriottThis album has a lot of sexual references. It's almost like Bobby's … a playa.—Elliott Wilson
Elliott WilsonNote: The variant playa is more common in transcribed speech.
Examples of player in a Sentence
She's one of the team's best players.
The band's lead guitar player hurt his hand and couldn't play.
Piano players are called pianists.
Recent Examples on the Web
Local players, coaches and fans were out in force, too, as the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s annual national convention is taking place in Kansas City in conjunction with volleyball’s Final Four.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
Oral Roberts’ Harper had five of the team’s 11 first half baskets and was one of only two players that made more than one field goal.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
This approach allows researchers to update the characters’ background stories as new findings emerge, ensuring that the content remains scientifically accurate while still feeling natural and responsive to players.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
For a lifelong utility player, a multisport assignment is a full-circle moment, and being trusted with something this one-of-a-kind feels incredibly special and surreal.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for player
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
Oral Roberts’ Harper had five of the team’s 11 first half baskets and was one of only two players that made more than one field goal.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
This approach allows researchers to update the characters’ background stories as new findings emerge, ensuring that the content remains scientifically accurate while still feeling natural and responsive to players.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
For a lifelong utility player, a multisport assignment is a full-circle moment, and being trusted with something this one-of-a-kind feels incredibly special and surreal.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for player
Cite this Entry
“Player.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/player. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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