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
Ira SilverSt. 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
Jon DrapeThe grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.—Kay Clark
Kay ClarkExamples of play host to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Central Florida Fairgrounds plays host to a lineup of dozens of EDM artists and DJs.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2025
Santa Margarita plays host to Servite in a 2:30 game Friday.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
In the 1990s, as Cold War tensions relaxed, bunkers even played host to paintball and band practice, or served as community centers.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025
While Costa Rica ranks as just the 126th-largest country on the planet, this scenic Central American nation plays host to a truly staggering amount of natural beauty.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play host to
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Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2025
Santa Margarita plays host to Servite in a 2:30 game Friday.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
In the 1990s, as Cold War tensions relaxed, bunkers even played host to paintball and band practice, or served as community centers.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025
While Costa Rica ranks as just the 126th-largest country on the planet, this scenic Central American nation plays host to a truly staggering amount of natural beauty.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play host to
Cite this Entry
“Play host to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20host%20to. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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