play 1 of 2

verb

Definition of playnext
1
as in to recreate
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to perform
to present a portrayal or performance of played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic

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3
as in to pose (as)
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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4
as in to lounge
to spend time in aimless activity just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently this is how we're going to play the situation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to 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

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play

2 of 2

noun

ˈplā How to pronounce play (audio)
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself it's such a delight to watch the children in their play

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drama
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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3
as in game
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in use
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ruse
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun play differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of play are fun, game, jest, and sport. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

In what contexts can fun take the place of play?

While the synonyms fun and play are close in meaning, fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How do game and sport relate to one another, in the sense of play?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

When can jest be used instead of play?

While in some cases nearly identical to play, jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When would sport be a good substitute for play?

Although the words sport and play have much in common, sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

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 play
Verb
Hamill plays a man only known as the Major, the military commander who oversees the Walk and gives the walkers their literal marching orders. —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 26 July 2025 Messi and Alba practiced with the club Friday in anticipation of playing in Saturday’s match before MLS announced the suspension. —Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2025
Noun
The dribbler by Hernandez traveled four feet, with Wilmer Flores and Bivins unable to make the play. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 13 July 2025 One of Netflix’s big movie plays for July is the sequel to its very silly but very fun action fantasy film The Old Guard. —Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
  1. perform
  2. lounge
  3. manipulate
  4. put
  5. relaxation
  6. drama
  7. game
  8. use
Verb
  • Cauley is on her own tour, performing four shows a week in different cities across the U.S., and will be headlining at Zanie's Comedy Club on July 31.
    — Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 22 July 2025
  • Just a few weeks prior to their wedding, both the bride and groom performed at Glastonbury 2025, with Charli commanding The Other Stage solo and Daniel joining the rest of The 1975 for a headlining set.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 21 July 2025
Definition of perform
Verb
  • Wear wide-leg linen pants out to dinner, to the beach, while lounging around the house, or even to the office.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2025
  • In our opinion, top-tier attire in this clothing category meets the following criteria: soft and breathable materials and unisex silhouettes that are suitable for sleep, lounging, and even running errands.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2025
Definition of lounge
Verb
  • Fast-forward to this month, when Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement to move past Trump's claims that CBS's 60 Minutes deceptively manipulated a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • As for Tretter, Ferguson was more sympathetic despite whispers that the former Cleveland Browns guard from Akron Central High might have manipulated Howell’s rise to the NFLPA throne in exchange for a leadership role himself.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 24 July 2025
Definition of manipulate
Verb
  • Cayley put her deposit down in February and traveled to Turkey in May.
    — Hedy Phillips, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • But the 2025 grades put Brookshire Elementary School in Winter Park in an uncomfortable spotlight.
    — Zoey Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Definition of put
Noun
  • For those seeking relaxation with a partner, the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort offers restorative services lead by cardiologist Dr. Martin G. Bloom.
    — Korin Miller, Flow Space, 24 July 2025
  • There are a series of pools in different temperatures, a Finnish sauna, Eucalyptus and essential oil steam rooms and plenty of indoor and outdoor relaxation areas with fireplaces.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of relaxation
Noun
  • While one of Mandy Moore's favorite roles is Jamie Sullivan in the romantic drama A Walk to Remember, her husband Taylor Goldsmith apparently has not seen the classic 2002 Nicholas Sparks movie adaptation.
    — Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 20 July 2025
  • But the drama spikes when Andy circles back to the infamous gun mention at the bank dinner.
    — Shelby Stewart, Essence, 20 July 2025
Definition of drama
Noun
  • Here are other things that came out of Engelbert’s availability: Engelbert said the WNBA is thinking about expanding its future scheduling footprint as well as the number of games played in upcoming seasons.
    — Ben Pickman, New York Times, 20 July 2025
  • Simpson, arguably the fastest runner in the game, broke on contact for home as the go-ahead run.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
Definition of game
Noun
  • The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025
  • That bed, paired with her Disney Princess TV, gets the most use.
    — Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of use

Phrases Containing play

Browse Nearby Words

plausibly
play
playact
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Cite this Entry

“Play.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on play

Nglish: Translation of play for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about play

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