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
The actor has performed with his band, Dennis Quaid and the Sharks, for decades, playing guitar and singing at shows around the country. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 If a camera spots an anomaly — the wrong gasket installed on an oven, for example — the system will shut that part of the line down and start playing loud music. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
Based on James Graham’s Tony-winning play of the same name, Ink heads back to 1969 London to tell the story of how Murdoch transformed a struggling newspaper into a tabloid powerhouse. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Ben Rice singled in the third, went to third on Bellinger’s single and scored on García’s double-play grounder for a 4-0 advantage. — Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for play
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play
  1. entertain
  2. perform
  3. mock
  4. lounge
  5. manipulate
  6. put
  7. relaxation
  8. drama
Verb
  • In the early ‘60s, the Tower Theater’s films entertained Cuban refugees and introduced them to American culture, making the theater a cultural cornerstone for the local Cuban community.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My job is to give people joy and entertain them and take them away from, frankly, at the moment, some of the misery of life, where they can get lost in the live gig for two hours.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of entertain
Verb
  • At this point, the two begin (deep sigh) performing lines from Romeo and Juliet while dressed as the title characters.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Participants perform duck walks, suitcase carries, bear crawls and overhead holds reminiscent of the log and boat carries in Marine boot camps.
    — Jenna Belhumeur, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of perform
Verb
  • The viral video of Gibson appearing to mock the Fan Expo ASL interpreter sparked backlash against the actor as well as FanExpo for platforming the controversial star.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Mel Gibson apologized Monday after video surfaced showing the actor mocking a sign language interpreter.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Verb
  • There’s an outdoor kids club with a schedule of activities and a babysitting service, but most youngsters looked happy enough playing on the sand while parents lounged nearby or got involved in the digging.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Most recently, Céline Dion, Lucy Hale, and Sofia Richie Grainge were spotted in matching ensembles for outdoor activities, casual outings, and lounging at home.
    — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of lounge
Verb
  • Last Wednesday, Meta reached a settlement with the attorneys general of forty-seven states, who had sued it for illegally manipulating the attention of children.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The finding could matter for quantum computers, where lasers are used to manipulate qubits and even tiny changes in their interactions can affect the accuracy of quantum operations.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of manipulate
Verb
  • Costco is an awkward exhibit for putting shareholder-value maximization in the driver’s seat.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Espada is paid to put it in favorable positions, even when few seem to exist.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of put
Noun
  • Pattaya born of the Vietnam War In calling in a port near Pattaya, the Lincoln is coming to a rest-and-relaxation spot made famous during the Vietnam War-era as a raucous destination for US servicemembers to unwind from the pressures of war.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Standards Did Not Move Gould has consistently separated the expansion of chartering from any relaxation of standards, and his own statements draw the line clearly.
    — AJ Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of relaxation
Noun
  • Prior to Fifth Season, Irving served as acting director of drama at the BBC overseeing all of its primetime drama output.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Fofana had spent the day at home, playing video games and largely allowing the drama to play out around him.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of drama

Phrases Containing play

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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 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on play

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about play

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