play with

phrasal 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

Bynum played with Jefferson for four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and would have as good a chance to stick with him as anyone. —Tashan Reed, New York Times, 21 May 2025

In the video, the little kitten is nestled inside of a purse, looking much better as the woman's husband played with her. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 21 May 2025

To create a harmonious sense of balance, play with height when styling the cabinet shelves. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025

For the runway, Levy played with a range of eye shadow shades and opacities on the lips, from sheer, pearlescent lilac to full-on, shimmering lime green. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 20 May 2025