players

noun

plural of player
1
as in instrumentalists
a person who plays a musical instrument a horn player

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in actors
one who acts professionally (as in a play, movie, or television show) a troupe of players used to give performances on the town green

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in participants
one who takes part in something a significant player in the negotiations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 players To be sure, the new law has had a chilling impact, especially on big players. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Unlike Howe, who saw his best players being sold from his team and may have felt he was being deprived of the tools necessary to succeed, Jaissle never actually had Gordon, Tonali or Guimaraes to call upon. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Spain is paying for its women's soccer players to freeze their eggs. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for players
  1. instrumentalists
  2. actors
  3. participants
  4. musicians
  5. performers
  6. participators
  7. artists
  8. actresses
Noun
  • Even Rodrigo’s backing band, full of absolutely shredding women instrumentalists, played beside her on equal footing for exquisitely tasteful, post-punky revisions of songs across her three albums.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The announcement could go after the one about what to do if the theater is overrun by period instrumentalists.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of instrumentalists
Noun
  • In the Harry Potter movies, multiple actors portray the antagonist at various ages.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Borden entertained O’Neil and other actors at her Maplecroft mansion in Fall River.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of actors
Noun
  • Apart from a few dissenters, most of our participants thought that China could, in fact, rely on its economic and technological engine to ride out these storms.
    — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The market decides, and participants can take their—literal—shot to win.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of participants
Noun
  • Lisa Yamanaka, performance director for Three Trails Taiko, said before the festival that variations of the piece are familiar to taiko musicians and particularly appropriate for the occasion.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Celebrating her growth as an artist, Billy Ray said that Miley is joining the ranks of all the legendary musicians who have gone by one name.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of musicians
Noun
  • Alaska, Hawaiian are consistent performers The AQR also singled out Alaska Airlines as the steadiest performer in the industry.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of performers
Noun
  • And in doing so, Gunther often lulls crowds into becoming sporting event spectators rather than the raucous participators that most other wrestlers try to draw out of them.
    — Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Definition of participators
Noun
  • Since June, over 130 artists, fabricators, and volunteers have worked on the project at Seaport Studios in Richmond, California.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The famed Magic Castle will supply the artists and show direction at Knott’s Scary Farm recently refurbished Bird Cage Theater.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of artists
Noun
  • The actresses are reprising their roles as the two witch sisters nearly 30 years after the 1998 original.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Natalie Wood had already turned down the part, and the studio had looked at hundreds of other actresses before MacGraw came aboard.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of actresses

Browse Nearby Words

player
players
playfellow
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Cite this Entry

“Players.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/players. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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