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
Chris Sanon, the Orlando area’s leader in sacks a year ago, played well in his move to linebacker from edge rusher.
—
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
He’s only played in four major championships in his career.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The Huskies bounced back from a 17-3 loss to Texas A&M on Friday to get a win and earn a rematch, then played a much more competitive game against the Aggies, making a number of stellar defensive plays to stay close for most of the game.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
The stadium organist, Dwayne Hilton, played accompanying music and got everyone involved.
—Warren Mayes, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Curry played in five games after surgery to repair a broken second metacarpal.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
Nobody had seen a second round playoff game played in Minnesota in more than a decade.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
The game became physical as play went on and the Legacy played tight defense down the stretch to earn the tie.
—Boston Herald Staff, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
He’s only played in four major championships in his career.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The Huskies bounced back from a 17-3 loss to Texas A&M on Friday to get a win and earn a rematch, then played a much more competitive game against the Aggies, making a number of stellar defensive plays to stay close for most of the game.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
The stadium organist, Dwayne Hilton, played accompanying music and got everyone involved.
—Warren Mayes, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Curry played in five games after surgery to repair a broken second metacarpal.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
Nobody had seen a second round playoff game played in Minnesota in more than a decade.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
The game became physical as play went on and the Legacy played tight defense down the stretch to earn the tie.
—Boston Herald Staff, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played
Verb
-
Gard said engineers recreated missing technical details and found modern replacements for obsolete parts through extensive problem-solving.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
The events ask attendees to dress for the occasion and use live actors to bring to life the extravagant sets recreated in various venues.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The suit says that Cantrell was eventually transferred to Oregon Health & Science University hospital, where doctors immediately recognized his condition as life-threatening, stabilized him and performed multiple surgeries, including amputating his arm up to his shoulder.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
-
No autopsy was performed after Chad declined, and she was buried within days, per KSL-TV.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
On a bench outside, as mums with their toddlers drink coffee, Trusty is talking about his start in a sport he was mocked for playing as a youngster.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
Jon Stewart also mocked the golden display.—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The fluffy black dog lounged on a dog bed near the couch in Landowski’s living room during an interview with the Star-Telegram.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
-
While posing for a photo in 1955, Monroe lounged on a carpet in a red brocade gown and black leather gloves.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Every core operation on Liners, from adding a new product to reviewing quality, to pulling in news and handling comparisons, is handled by a team of nine AI agents.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The series recreates ordinary Soviet life from the period with painstaking detail and spares no one and nothing in its criticisms of what led to the disaster and how it was handled.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Her team quickly put together a plan to help coördinate repairs, secure new electrical generators, implement a triage system, and organize trainings for staff.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
The Bengals, who at one point trailed 6-1, put the game on ice with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
There were people who understood and were entertained in a positive way.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Download educational apps, road trip games or television shows to keep preschoolers entertained and tantrum-free with this kid-friendly Amazon Fire tablet.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
In the film, Walter portrayed Chessy, the housekeeper and nanny to Nick Parker (played by Dennis Quaid).—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
Some have portrayed family caregivers as illegitimately cashing in on government largesse.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Played.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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