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
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Relevance
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2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
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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
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4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity
just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive
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5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
this is how we're going to play the situation
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1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself
it's such a delight to watch the children in their play
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.
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