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

After the Longhorns stuffed Jadan Baugh for a 2-yard loss plays later, Jones sold a fake, rolled out and connected with tight end Lacota Dippre for a 7-yard score. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 But Peter O’Toole plays your adviser and has these wonderful speeches about the importance of the monarchy and the spirit of the country. — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 Marty Scott, a Schaumburg native who plays George Harrison in Liverpool Legends, a tribute act, became close friends with Louise after George died. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Back checks to break up opponents’ plays in the Panthers’ zone. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 That changes Sunday when Grupe plays his first game for the struggling but still-plenty-of-upside Rams. — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Anjali Patil plays the title role and produces through her banner Anahat Films. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Parliament’s lower house dominates the legislative process, but the Senate plays an important role in passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Leo regularly plays tennis and swims at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, according to The Associated Press. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Noun

On the next snap, Jackson ran for 64 yards, and three plays later the Wildcats got the touchdown they were denied moments earlier. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026 The Buckeyes quarterback's pass was intercepted deep in Ohio State territory, and two plays later, Hoosiers running back Turbo Richard scored on a 7-yard touchdown run. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 On third down, Hawkins found Prince Strachan with a 41-yard pass, then hit Strachan with a 40-yard toss two plays later to put the Mountaineers inside the Cincinnati 20 to set up Cassidy’s winning kick. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 An anthology of new plays by female-identifying writers, Women+ on the Edge of Democracy was commissioned by the Flynn—a center for performing arts in Burlington, Vermont—in partnership with the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. — Carey Purcell, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2026 The other backs who found the end zone on rushing plays were Tyler Reid, Ryan Mathis, Jacquez Burley, Shamar Sampson and Pharrell Woodside. — From Staff, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Sometimes, maybe once in every eight plays, the track scans as pure camp to me. — Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026 The phone encounters were conceived before the pandemic, but once quarantine began, the idea of entertaining people through interactive phone plays really began to pick up steam. — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 That kind of performance — along with Jones making plays — represents a return to normalcy for fellow Broncos defenders. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays

Verb

Related Stories The attraction recreates several of the films’ most recognizable settings, from the desert planet of Arrakis to the imperial throne room.

— Anna Tingley, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Requiring approval for every low-risk step recreates the administrative burden the technology was meant to reduce.

— Heather Bassett, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of recreates

Verb

While Motor Decide helps identify the best motor technology pathway, Motor AI performs the detailed motor design work needed to bring those concepts to life, according to a press release.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Narges also performs the majority of her own stunts across the series.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of performs

Verb

We are presented with a few potentially hissable villains, including an attorney for the state (Christian Rubeck) who mocks the Gheorghius’ faith and a frostily inflexible social worker, Gunda (Ellen Dorrit Petersen).

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is designed as an action flick as well as a portrait of a family dealing with tragedy and an insider’s look at an insular community that mocks harmful stereotypes without perpetrating them.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of mocks

Verb

As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.

— Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.

— Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025

Definition of idles

Verb

The series follows Mónica, a newly qualified lawyer who learns to defraud clients, manipulates her family to secure an inheritance, then betrays her mentor.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
In an interview with the Shade Room last year, Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, claimed McDowell pushed the singer into performing and manipulates her.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of manipulates

Verb

In big cities, people like this tend to pay rent, which often puts them—to borrow some Marxist terminology—in an antagonistic relationship with the local petite bourgeoisie.

— Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
As Hal puts it the next morning, the chilling effect is very effective.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of puts

Noun

Hottest genres in Spain As in the rest of the world, dramas – across a wide spectrum of crime, suspense and fantasy to family drama – proved the hottest genre, weighing in as half the premieres during that period (15 titles).

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The series will join a lineup of Hulu original dramas that also includes The Testaments, Paradise, Furious, Good American Family and the upcoming The Land.

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of dramas

Noun

Instagram direct messages to a University of Miami football player that included rape imagery, violent slavery imagery, three uses of the N-word and two uses of a homophobic slur are under investigation by the Florida Bar.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Ice scoop stored between uses with handle in contact with the ice.

— NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026