1
as in recreates
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 performs
to present a portrayal or performance of
played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mocks
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 idles
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 manipulates
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 puts
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
1
as in dramas
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in uses
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ruses
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of plays
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
When the Heat plays Herro and Powell together, Miami has been outscored by 26 points in 249 minutes this season.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Ella Stiller arrives as Patience, Valerie’s social-media guru, Jack O’Brien sweetly plays her new hairdresser, and Andrew Scott, doing the most to eradicate any lingering Hot Priest vibes, plays a wildly unctuous NuNet executive.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
Friday was the first of two Fonda underplays McCartney plays this weekend, with show two coming Saturday night.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Mar. 2026
Illinois plays Iowa in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Rori Harmon plays through hand injury The senior guard finished with 11 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds on Saturday, despite injuring her hand in the first quarter.
—Myah Taylor, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
Air service plays an outsize role in the nation's most expansive state, where most communities rely on flights for year-round access.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
In the series, Michelle Pfeiffer plays his on-screen opposite.
—Janelle Ash , Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Dodgers’ 5-4 win on Friday night, Freeland scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, jump-started the Dodgers’ offense in the third inning, and showed off his arm strength in a pair of momentum-changing plays.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
But his 16 errors last season were tied for seventh most in the major leagues (second among third basemen), and many came on routine plays.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Pasquantino became the face of Team Italy and hit three home runs in a game; Witt made some awe-inspiring defensive plays; and Garcia was named most valuable player of the WBC for Team Venezuela.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
But, realizing his memory is failing and badly shaken by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol is wracked by doubt until his younger self, Little Marcel, appears.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
Stojaković said coaches have talked to him a lot about making winning plays that don’t necessarily show up on stat sheets, such as crashing the boards to help another player snare the rebound.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Expect some growing pains, but also some big plays in between.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Towards the end of March, there will be lots of new plays and performances premiering across North Texas.
—Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Hsu plays Joy, a morose daughter of two Chinese immigrants.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
When the Heat plays Herro and Powell together, Miami has been outscored by 26 points in 249 minutes this season.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Ella Stiller arrives as Patience, Valerie’s social-media guru, Jack O’Brien sweetly plays her new hairdresser, and Andrew Scott, doing the most to eradicate any lingering Hot Priest vibes, plays a wildly unctuous NuNet executive.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
Friday was the first of two Fonda underplays McCartney plays this weekend, with show two coming Saturday night.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Mar. 2026
Illinois plays Iowa in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Rori Harmon plays through hand injury The senior guard finished with 11 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds on Saturday, despite injuring her hand in the first quarter.
—Myah Taylor, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
Air service plays an outsize role in the nation's most expansive state, where most communities rely on flights for year-round access.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
In the series, Michelle Pfeiffer plays his on-screen opposite.
—Janelle Ash , Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
Veteran guard Marcus Smart remains day-to-day with a right elbow contusion after two plays against the Orlando Magic left him worse for wear to play in the final two games of the Lakers’ recent six-game trip.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Dodgers’ 5-4 win on Friday night, Freeland scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, jump-started the Dodgers’ offense in the third inning, and showed off his arm strength in a pair of momentum-changing plays.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
But his 16 errors last season were tied for seventh most in the major leagues (second among third basemen), and many came on routine plays.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Pasquantino became the face of Team Italy and hit three home runs in a game; Witt made some awe-inspiring defensive plays; and Garcia was named most valuable player of the WBC for Team Venezuela.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
But, realizing his memory is failing and badly shaken by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol is wracked by doubt until his younger self, Little Marcel, appears.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
Stojaković said coaches have talked to him a lot about making winning plays that don’t necessarily show up on stat sheets, such as crashing the boards to help another player snare the rebound.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Expect some growing pains, but also some big plays in between.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Towards the end of March, there will be lots of new plays and performances premiering across North Texas.
—Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays
Verb
-
The land recreates Arendelle around a lagoon, its timber buildings painted in muted Scandinavian pastels, facades adorned with rosemaling, a traditional Norwegian decorative art.—
Thomas Adamson,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Set the scene Copenhagen Fashion Week may only occur twice a year, but staying at the Bella Grande recreates the city’s most fashionable event on the daily.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Following liftoff, the SLS rocket will place Orion into Earth orbit before the capsule performs a burn that sends the spacecraft toward the moon.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
During the trial, the team collected real-world data to evaluate how quantum positioning performs in a live national rail network.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Its leader, the president, abuses power, hurts the innocent, and mocks the dead before their families have even begun to grieve.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Loznitsa neither sentimentalizes nor mocks this impulse; for him, the human will to resist, to cling fast to integrity and courage in the face of a mounting totalitarian horror, is something as real, as undeniable, and therefore worth acknowledging, as the horror itself.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Reinhart’s Apple is a deliciously deadly mystery wrapped in sequins and pure unadulterated attitude, as Tung’s Pumpkin subtly manipulates the group to get to the bottom of a past incident that weighs on her personally, despite her new friends being oblivious to her true identity.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The film is being released as newsrooms shrink, the mainstream media consolidates and social media manipulates the meaning of truth.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The show, which puts a funny twist on the classic tale of Dracula, is filled with comedy and romance, and that romance can be seen both onstage and off.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The moody Moon tugs at vigorous Mars, resulting in a square that puts pressure on your wary 8th house and your typically more light-hearted 5th house.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ramadan in Saudi Arabia has shifted from TV dramas to real-time war updates, as businesses and residents navigate uncertainty, Alex Malouf writes for AGBI.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Many of the opportunities available were in projects that supported the state’s narrative — from historical dramas valorizing medieval Hindu rulers, to biopics in praise of its leaders.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When Chinese alchemists invented gunpowder in the ninth century, no one grasped the full range of its potential uses.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every Cure works to find new uses for existing drugs, with the goal of finding treatments for diseases that were previously untreatable.—
Brad Quick,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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