play host to

idiomatic phrase

: to serve as a host for (someone or something)

Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.

As travel to the Third World has expanded, so, too, has concern about the damage wrought by mass tourism on the people and places that play host to wandering North Americans and Europeans.

—Ira Silver

St. John's meets No. 3-ranked Duke and the Big East rival Miami on the road, and will play host to No. 4 Syracuse, No. 13 Connecticut and surging Seton Hall at the Garden.

—Jon Drape

The grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.

—Kay Clark

Examples of play host to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lockhart is known for its barbecue prowess and plays host to a number of joints, including Barbs B Q, which is in the Michelin Guide Texas and is on Texas Monthly’s list of the best barbecue in the state. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025

While Canada plays host to fascinating megafauna spanning from the polar bear to the gray wolf to the muskox, there’s one park in particular that offers a deep dive into the nation’s prehistoric past. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

In addition to being the site of the final of three top-10 matchups on the first full college football weekend of the season, Hard Rock Stadium will also play host to at least two College Football Playoff games this season. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2025

In between the Archuletas and O’Keefe, Ghost Ranch played host to other famous folk although at the time the staff didn’t know it. —Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for play host to

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue