play at

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

Not only was this World Cup in Qatar played at the ‘wrong’ time of the year to avoid the summer heat, but it was also condensed into a shorter-than-usual timeframe, so maybe rest ahead of the final was particularly vital. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Join the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at Monday Night Brewing on Wednesday, July 15 to catch the semi-finals played at Atlanta Stadium. — Kayla Rivera, AJC.com, 14 July 2026

Previous productions of A View From the Bridge in NYC include the 2015-2016 version starring Mark Strong, which originated at London’s Young Vic, directed by Ivo van Hove, and played at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 July 2026

Hernandez, the first high school pitcher selected last year, played at Corona High, about 20 miles from Angel Stadium. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Rhymes for play at

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat