1
as in recreated
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 performed
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mocked
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 lounged
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 handled
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 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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of played
Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.
—
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Suffice it to say that eventually the tale of childhood catches up with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer), a filmmaker, who attempts to make sense of her past and Jeremy’s fate by undertaking her own investigation, at several decades’ remove.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
One of those people was David Wiley, who Terry Rose played pool with the night Kim went missing.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
After appearing in his nephew Christopher Nolan’s 1998 directorial debut Following, the actor also played Wayne Enterprises board member Fredericks in Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), as well as Dunkirk (2017).
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
And those figures are boosted by players who may not hail from power conferences but certainly played for college powerhouses.
—Arnie Stapleton, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
This name gained popularity in 1978, not too long after Carrie Fisher played the intergalactic princess.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 11 Apr. 2026
The Current’s still one of the most talented teams in the league, boasting such USWNT veterans as Cooper, Sentnor and LaBonta, along with women who’ve played for other countries — Lorena and midfielder Rocky Rodriguez (Costa Rica), for instance.
—Pj Green
april 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Shamir Sterlin (Conference USA All-Freshman team) and Hill (26 career games played) give the Panthers ample experience.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Suffice it to say that eventually the tale of childhood catches up with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer), a filmmaker, who attempts to make sense of her past and Jeremy’s fate by undertaking her own investigation, at several decades’ remove.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
One of those people was David Wiley, who Terry Rose played pool with the night Kim went missing.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
After appearing in his nephew Christopher Nolan’s 1998 directorial debut Following, the actor also played Wayne Enterprises board member Fredericks in Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), as well as Dunkirk (2017).
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
And those figures are boosted by players who may not hail from power conferences but certainly played for college powerhouses.
—Arnie Stapleton, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
This name gained popularity in 1978, not too long after Carrie Fisher played the intergalactic princess.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 11 Apr. 2026
The Current’s still one of the most talented teams in the league, boasting such USWNT veterans as Cooper, Sentnor and LaBonta, along with women who’ve played for other countries — Lorena and midfielder Rocky Rodriguez (Costa Rica), for instance.
—Pj Green
april 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Shamir Sterlin (Conference USA All-Freshman team) and Hill (26 career games played) give the Panthers ample experience.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played
Verb
-
They can be recreated at home for weeknight dinner, a fun way to get your kids involved in the kitchen or for a gathering with friends.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Through the push and pull of it all, the pair created scores of looks that are still being admired (and occasionally recreated by other royals) today.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
According to Gunning, the doctors who originally performed her surgery (at an undisclosed location) agreed that her tummy tuck had failed and offered to fix it by performing surgery through Gunning's belly button to tighten the muscles.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, the film launched on Movistar Plus+ and performed extraordinarily well.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Szépvölgyi mocked the prime minister, who is 62, for seeming unsteady when boos erupted at one of his recent rallies.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There, a drag performer mocked the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum.—
Michael O'Boyle,
Bloomberg,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nearby, people and their dogs who had moved into the shelter for the duration of the war lounged on air mattresses, scrolling through their phones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The incident management and incident response is primarily handled by the teens.—
Ashley Portillo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Most of the cases are expected to be handled by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office and the Office of Statewide Prosecution.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Though the arrest took place in 2023, the case faced new scrutiny in March after a video of the altercation — showing her yelling, putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing chairs at him while a child could be heard crying — was published by TMZ.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
To have that as something that will live in my memory is worth whatever mental or emotional friction exists in rising from the comfort of my bed and putting my feet down on the floor.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Harrison Ford, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, has, over the course of more than 50 years in Hollywood, arguably entertained more people than anyone else, and inarguably become a living legend.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Panini originally entertained selling the company in 2025, which The Athletic chronicled in December.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The actor portrayed Malcolm's younger brother Dewey, known for his smarts and wit.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
When Apollo 11 first landed on the lunar surface, the astronauts portrayed their accomplishment as the realization of a science fictional dream.—
Anastasia Klimchynskaya,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Played.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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