playground

American  

[pley-ground] / ˈpleɪˌgraʊnd /

noun

1. an area used for outdoor play or recreation, especially by children, and often containing recreational equipment such as slides and swings.

2. Informal. any place, environment, or facility used for recreation or amusement, as a resort.

   The tropical island is an international playground for the rich.

3. an arena of operation or activity.

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playground British  

/ ˈpleɪˌɡraʊnd /

noun

1. an outdoor area for children's play, esp one having swings, slides, etc, or adjoining a school

2. a place or region particularly popular as a sports or holiday resort

3. a sphere of activity

   reading was his private playground

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Etymology

Origin of playground

First recorded in 1770–80; play + ground ¹

Explanation

A playground is a place to frolic and play. Most kids know where the nearest playground is because that’s where the swings and slides are. Neighborhoods and schools usually have a playground. Weeeeee! A playground built especially for kids has equipment for them to play on, like climbing structures, swings, seesaws, and play houses. Many public parks have this kind of playground. When adults talk about their favorite playgrounds, they usually mean a place they go to do the sports or activities they love. A nearby mountain, for example, could be described as a playground for snow boarders.

Example Sentences

About 12 miles up the coast in Venice Beach is the newly renovated Windward Plaza Playground, a nautical-themed fun zone equipped with slides, swings, climbers and more.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

It was the last in a string of Microsoft studio takeovers, which included some of the game industry's most acclaimed publishers and developers, such as Fallout maker Bethesda and Forza Horizon studio Playground Games.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Last spring, the Highline staff built Skynet Playground, an aerial netted adventure park featuring 10 netted zones.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

With a camera tracking their motion, users control the Playground not with a hand-held controller but their own hands and movements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025

The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• park