play with

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

Rather than just trimming stems and plopping them in a vase, reflexing plays with the form of the flower by gently folding petals backwards to open up the bloom. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 July 2026

After that came the gym, full of giant soft blocks printed with photographs that visitors could move, stack, climb, and play with. — Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Johnson played with the Titans from 2008 through 2013 and was named to three Pro Bowls during his years in Tennessee. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Kelly and a group of local businessmen and community leaders started the team in 2009 as an amateur club, playing with college players across a three-month season. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026