Meaning & use
play
To engage in an activity for enjoyment or recreation rather than for a serious or practical purpose.
See it in a sentence
The children played in the park until the sun began to set.
They play board games together every Friday evening after dinner.
A note on using this word
Play combines with prepositions in many phrasal verbs, such as 'play down,' 'play up,' and 'play along.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. verb
To perform music on an instrument or to take part in a sport or game.
She has played the piano since she was six years old.
3. noun
A dramatic work written to be performed by actors on a stage.
The school staged a play about a family divided by war.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “play”, then compare your use with the examples above.