Meaning & use
player
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablesport
A person who takes part in a game or sport.
Grammar: Countable: a team has eleven players.
Patterns
- a player for something
- a player on a team
She is the best player on the school team.
Each player received a medal.
The coach praised the young players.
nouncountablemusic
A person who performs music on an instrument.
Grammar: Usually follows the instrument name: a guitar player.
Patterns
- a guitar player
- a player in a band
He is a talented piano player.
The orchestra is looking for a new oboe player.
Every player tuned up before the concert.
nouncountable
A device that plays recordings, such as music or video.
Grammar: Often a compound: DVD player, music player.
Patterns
- a DVD player
- a music player
Her old CD player still works perfectly.
He left the video player on all night.
This player can handle several file formats.
nouncountablebusiness
A person or organization that is influential in a particular area of business or politics.
Grammar: Usually describes importance: a key player in the market.
Patterns
- a key player in something
- a major player
The firm is now a major player in clean energy.
She became a key player in the peace talks.
Small companies are also players in this market.
nouncountableslangdisapproving
A man who dates or flirts with many partners without being faithful.
Grammar: Slang, usually disapproving; can be used of any gender.
Patterns
- a real player
Her friends warned her that he was a player.
He bragged about being a player in college.
Nobody was surprised when the player broke another heart.
Word forms
| plural | players |
|---|
Common combinations
- key player
- He is a key player in the department.
- team player
- Managers want a team player, not a lone wolf.
- star player
- The star player scored twice.
- chess player
- My grandfather is an excellent chess player.
- major player
- The company is a major player in logistics.
- level playing field
- Rules should give every player a level playing field.
Synonyms and how they differ
- participant
- Participant is formal and may refer to any activity, while player fits games and sports.
- competitor
- Competitor stresses trying to win against others, not just joining in.
- athlete
- Athlete is broader and refers to a trained sportsperson, whereas player is tied to a specific game.
- contender
- Contender suggests someone who has a real chance of winning.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: player or layer?
player vs layer
A layer is one level or thickness of something, and has no connection to playing.
Practice
The tech company has become a major ___ in the electric vehicle market.
Choose one answer.
A major player is an influential company or person in a field. A spectator only watches, so it does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “player”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.