play 1 of 2

verb

Definition of playnext
1
as in to recreate
to engage in activity for amusement told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pose (as)
to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently this is how we're going to play the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to put
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event figuring that she had little to lose, she played her last few bucks on the state lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words

play

2 of 2

noun

ˈplā How to pronounce play (audio)
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself it's such a delight to watch the children in their play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drama
a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage we'll be putting on a school play using that stage

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun play differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of play are fun, game, jest, and sport. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

In what contexts can fun take the place of play?

While the synonyms fun and play are close in meaning, fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How do game and sport relate to one another, in the sense of play?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

When can jest be used instead of play?

While in some cases nearly identical to play, jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When would sport be a good substitute for play?

Although the words sport and play have much in common, sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of play
Verb
The two winners will play Saturday in Moorhead. —Brian Hall, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026 The Braves have a play-in game for the state playoffs on Friday against Corona del Mar on Friday. —Dan Rios, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
All of those showed against the Dragons, standing out in an otherwise team effort that helped Milton outshoot Duxbury 26-16 and lead for all but two minutes of play. —Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 18 Feb. 2026 The hour-long cinema experience brings together eight episodes from across the show’s three series, united around themes of play, friendship and family. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
  1. perform
  2. lounge
  3. manipulate
  4. put
  5. relaxation
  6. drama
  7. game
  8. use
Verb
  • By controlling edge recombination through passivation, these wafers can maintain strong carrier collection and high efficiency, translating their theoretical advantages into practical, high-performing solar cells.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
  • During dinner, musician Malcolm McRae — who’s featured in Simkhai’s campaign imagery, and is also Anya Taylor-Joy’s husband — performed a song for the crowd, while Mia Moretti stepped up for DJ duty.
    — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of perform
Verb
  • Here for a romantic getaway, my husband and I stayed in the luxurious Kalinago king suite overlooking the ocean, with a private patio perfect for just-the-two-of-us lounging.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • The sunny spot is lined with butterfly-friendly landscaping, features space to lounge or dine, and is shaded by scalloped umbrellas that would look at home on a stylish beachside resort.
    — Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of lounge
Verb
  • Corporations known to have manipulated rental prices & housing supply should be closely monitored.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • During the hours before and during the Super Bowl, Little said, the company detected attempts to manipulate birthdates at triple or more the usual rate.
    — Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of manipulate
Verb
  • Mountbatten-Windsor put his arm around Giuffre with Maxwell standing close, smiling.
    — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
  • But the table is so congested that putting any kind of winning run together could make a real difference while the teams above them are distracted by European commitments.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of put
Noun
  • The outdoor relaxation area boasts an antique sugar copper fountain and lush gardens.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • The food, the fireplace, the drink, the company, the relaxation — even non-skiers can appreciate a moveable feast of the senses, and the scene.
    — David G. Allan Feb 15, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of relaxation
Noun
  • Albarn is also composing a score and songs for Artificial, director Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming comedy-drama film about the rise of AI technology.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The Internet was set alight with Brooklyn's innocent public display of affection weeks after the budding chef aired his family drama in a manifesto posted online.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of drama
Noun
  • For the next five years, only one game per season was played in London, with many owners skeptical about sacrificing revenue from home games in a market dominated by the Premier League.
    — Tom Chitty, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
  • He has not been formally charged with cheating by World Curling, which does not use video to review game play.
    — STEVE DOUGLAS, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of game
Noun
  • Democrats are calling for judicial warrants before agents can enter private property, a ban on ICE agents wearing face masks, requiring the use of body cameras and new laws for use-of-force standards.
    — Justin Gomez, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The pervasive use of less lethal tactics, caught on video and ricocheting across social media, began in late spring and summer in California and Oregon, expanded into Chicago in the fall and reached a crescendo in Minneapolis, where officers shot and killed two protesters last month.
    — Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of use

Phrases Containing play

Browse Nearby Words

plausibly
play
playact
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on play

Nglish: Translation of play for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about play

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 3

Why is the letter ‘Z’ associated with sleeping?

Why do we say 'head over heels'?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 20

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 3

Why is the letter ‘Z’ associated with sleeping?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vector art of man ready to cut messy balls of thread with scissors
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 2 A quiz to (peak/peek/pique) your interest.
See All