PLAYS Synonyms: 240 Similar and Opposite Words

plays 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of play

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

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as in performs

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

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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

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as in idles

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

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as in manipulates

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

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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

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plays

2 of 2

noun

plural of play

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

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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

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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

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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 plays

Verb

Staying socially engaged plays a meaningful role in maintaining cognitive health. —

Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 Mar. 2026 In this poignant courtroom drama, Hanks plays Andrew Beckett, an attorney who is fired from his law firm upon discovering his sexuality and his AIDS diagnosis. —

Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026 Jonathan plays piano with unusual introspection and carries an interpretive voice that balances clarity, tenderness, and conviction. —

Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026 Williams attended the Oscars solo without his Heated Rivalry co-star, Connor Storrie, who plays Shane’s love interest, Ilya Rozanov. —

Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 15 Mar. 2026 Italy plays Venezuela in the semis on Monday night. —

ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026 Stellan Skarsgård plays an aging filmmaker whose selfish past led to an estrangement from his daughters and who wants to make a movie inspired by their mom. —

Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026 Myers’ maternal half-brother is Quentin Grimes, who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers and spent part of the 2024-25 season with the Mavericks. —

Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026 Jones, who plays nose tackle in Baltimore, played 445 snaps against the pass and had five sacks. —

Zach Berman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026

Noun

Isla Silk made two clutch plays in the final 10 seconds, and for the first time in school history Rosemount is a state girls basketball champion by beating Hopkins 63-62 Saturday night at Williams Arena. —

Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026 Speaking of young guys, Easton Cowan showed more confidence holding on to the puck and making dynamic plays than in recent memory. —

Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026 Big-bodied rushers can win early and still leave plays alive if the counter plan isn’t consistent. —

Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026 A lot of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s stuff has endured, and those plays by Rodgers and Hart haven’t. —

Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026 Both teams made big plays in the closing minutes, but the Sailors (25-6) performed best in prime time. —

Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026 What started as a two-person operation in Albuquerque, New Mexico would, over the next five decades, reshape how the entire world not only works, but communicates, plays, and builds. —

Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026 So on defensive plays in 2022, the Chiefs averaged three rookies on the field. —

Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026 The bank’s analysts examined evidence that suggests a recent slowdown in the frequency of Iranian missile and drone attacks since the start of the conflict, but the firm said the long-term investing case in defense plays remains intact. —

Pia Singh, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays

Verb

Mackenyu takes us to Loguetown and Ipponmatsu's Arms Shop, where his character recreates a scene from the anime involving a cursed sword.

— Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
The old-school charm inside the small restaurant recreates the feeling of dining in your grandmother’s kitchen, with bentwood chairs, mismatched dishes and big platters of rib-sticking dishes being passed around crowded tables.

— Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026