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
Mahomes played quarterback for Texas Tech before being drafted as the 10th pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
—
Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
More recently, Jovovich played the villainous Blood Queen in the 2019 Hellboy reboot.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
Three times the Eagles have played two games in one day.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025
Mahomes played baseball in high school and is the son of Major League Baseball pitcher Pat Mahomes.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Vampire Weekend will headline, sharing the bill with TV on the Radio, Bloc Party, Empire of the Sun, and, most notably, a reunion of Jenny Lewis’ beloved emo band Rilo Kiley, who haven’t played a show together since 2008.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2025
Shinwell meets with Moriarty, who's played by none other than Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The Before trilogy is both one story and three films, following two people, played by the same actors, across decades.
—Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The cumulative weight of all those moments that make up an ordinary life is the subject of this elegiac macro-miniaturist portrait of an itinerant worker in the early 1900s Pacific Northwest, played by Joel Edgerton in what might be the best work of his career.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
More recently, Jovovich played the villainous Blood Queen in the 2019 Hellboy reboot.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
Three times the Eagles have played two games in one day.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025
Mahomes played baseball in high school and is the son of Major League Baseball pitcher Pat Mahomes.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Vampire Weekend will headline, sharing the bill with TV on the Radio, Bloc Party, Empire of the Sun, and, most notably, a reunion of Jenny Lewis’ beloved emo band Rilo Kiley, who haven’t played a show together since 2008.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2025
Shinwell meets with Moriarty, who's played by none other than Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The Before trilogy is both one story and three films, following two people, played by the same actors, across decades.
—Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The cumulative weight of all those moments that make up an ordinary life is the subject of this elegiac macro-miniaturist portrait of an itinerant worker in the early 1900s Pacific Northwest, played by Joel Edgerton in what might be the best work of his career.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played
Verb
-
The news came alongside a new teaser, which gives a glimpse of key sequences from the game recreated in live-action.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
7 Jan. 2025
-
A number of key moments from the actual event — including the masked terrorist on the balcony — were painstakingly recreated by the team.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Our dashboard How Low Can Stocks Go During A Market Crash shows how key stocks performed during and after the last six market crashes.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The Houston Astros performed major reconstructive surgery on their lineup this offseason.—
Daniel R. Epstein,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Veteran hands such as James Carville and David Axelrod have been widely mocked for their less-than-accurate takes.—
Hanna Trudo,
The Hill,
7 Mar. 2025
-
After posting it to social media, she was roundly mocked by online commenters.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But the 2025 grades put Brookshire Elementary School in Winter Park in an uncomfortable spotlight.—
Zoey Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
-
Cayley put her deposit down in February and traveled to Turkey in May.—
Hedy Phillips,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Chattanooga, Tennessee Equal parts city escape and nature retreat, Chattanooga offers tons of activities to keep your group entertained, plus great food and plenty of art.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Newsmax licenses another show that entertained election conspiracies, the Howie Carr Show; its employees are not involved in their production, the lawyers added.—
Maddy Lauria,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In First Steps, Galactus will be portrayed by actor Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu), wearing actual purple-and-blue armor; the costume workshop on set is full of various attempts at making his signature look work.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
In that film, Swank portrayed an up-and-coming boxer who is taken under the wing of an aging coach, played by Clint Eastwood.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Following the match, Giulia addressed her defeat.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
-
That’s a lot of risk factors for one system, most that cannot be addressed in a simple way.—
Jennifer Castenson,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The infographic itself is not sourced, and does not explain how its author interpreted the relevant data.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The move was interpreted as an escalation in Washington's enforcement strategy.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Played.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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