PLAYING Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

playing

verb

present participle of play

as in recreating

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in performing

to present a portrayal or performance of played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic

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as in mocking

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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as in lounging

to spend time in aimless activity just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in managing

to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently this is how we're going to play the situation

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as in putting

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

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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 playing New York leads, 12-7, after a pair of early 3-pointers and by playing fast to try to get ahead of the defense of Victor Wembanyama. —

Andrew Greif, NBC news, 4 June 2026 Hanging on his wall as inspiration was a rhapsodic review of My Left Foot, which earned Daniel Day-Lewis his first Oscar for playing a guy with cerebral palsy. —

Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026 Still, Tuesday’s victory in front of thousands of Haitian fans underscored the importance of playing in front of a large and enthusiastic fan base. —

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026 The singer shared a video of Milan playing piano alongside another boy playing the violin. —

Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 Despite playing just 14 games this postseason, the team has played a lot of hoops over the past few seasons. —

David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026 Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments! —

Mark Cooper, New York Times, 3 June 2026 The Magic Ingredient Cao started by playing around with existing error-correcting codes. —

Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026 For the first time in nearly two decades, the Eagle Rock softball team will be playing in a CIF LA City Section title game. —

Justin Vigil Zuniga, Daily News, 28 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing

Verb

Yes, the grounds are grand–but the idea here is more about recreating a time gone by.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Several users also discussed homemade versions of the gravy, sharing recipes and tips for recreating it in their own kitchens.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026