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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in performs

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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. 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

As Cuenca plays a ball to the feet of his striker, Wilson dashes in the other direction, delaying Ibrahima Konate’s forward jump because the centre-back knows Bradley is unable to track both him and Robinson at the same time. —

Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 In the dark romantic comedy-drama, True Blood alum Skarsgård, 49, plays tough biker Ray, who enters into a dominant-submissive relationship with Colin (Melling), a shy and directionless man who sings in a barbershop quartet. —

Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026 Choose a playful starting point like stretching while music plays — something easy to do every day. —

Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026 While law enforcement plays a central role in reducing crime, the article overlooks the crucial role of community violence intervention (CVI) organizations. —

Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 Lighting plays a subtle but powerful role. —

Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026 Even Sadie Sink, who plays Max, offered her own theory to Vulture on where Max's mom was throughout the season. —

Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026 Protein also plays a role in blood sugar management. —

Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 7 Jan. 2026 The military plays only an advisory role in the American system, giving input to the president’s deliberations but not otherwise independently adjudicating whether his or her decision is wise. —

Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025

Noun

Usual starting center Neemias Queta was active after being listed as probable with an illness, but head coach Joe Mazzulla rolled with the rookie, whose clutch plays in overtime Friday night helped Boston put away the Nets. —

Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026 Is the head coach calling the plays? —

Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 Arlene, the character that Mia [Wasikowska] plays, was going to be someone moving away from a life after some sort of trauma to get away from all of that and move to a community like the one in the film. —

David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026 Their plays seemed predictable and unimaginative by comparison to the winning teams, including the Patriots, who had at least one or two tricks up their sleeves. —

Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026 However, Kerr believed his team’s overall process during that loss was acceptable, noting that several of those plays were offensive fouls, not live-ball turnovers. —

Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026 When asked Sunday night if Roman is the right coach to be calling plays moving forward, Harbaugh was noncommittal. —

Daniel Popper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 But the offense, which was the most expensive in the NFL and loaded with talent, was underwhelming in the 2025 season with Patullo calling the plays. —

Pat Gallen, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays

Verb

The new movie Marty Supreme recreates this world.

— Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 25 Dec. 2025
The facility recreates real-world production lines and living environments and spans two floors.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025