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
The match might be played at Cerritos College.
—
Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
His dad, Glen, played at Andrew and brought his 42-year-old Thunderbolts jersey to the game.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
When players laced up their cleats for their first home game last month, the team played at UConn’s Morrone Stadium in Storrs.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
And, for the record, the Padres’ two balls in play at 100 mph or harder last night tied for their fewest in a game this season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for play at
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Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
His dad, Glen, played at Andrew and brought his 42-year-old Thunderbolts jersey to the game.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
When players laced up their cleats for their first home game last month, the team played at UConn’s Morrone Stadium in Storrs.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
And, for the record, the Padres’ two balls in play at 100 mph or harder last night tied for their fewest in a game this season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 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 13 May. 2026.
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