playground

American  

[play-graund] / ˈpleɪˌgraʊnd /

noun

• playgrounds
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• playgrounds
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of playground

First recorded in 1770–80; play + ground ¹

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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

See Examples For:

playground playgrounds

The Media Lab is an unprecedented electronic playground born of AI.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

"Imagine navigating life when it's hard for you to perceive the information in another person's face, from navigating a playground to navigating a job interview," McPartland says.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

There is also a playground and custom trampoline, while the upper lawn has previously been transformed into a temporary ice-skating rink.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

"The playground was just an asphalt strip between two rows of prefab buildings," he said, adding meetings with education authorities proved pointless.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

But when she thought of his smirk she also saw his wide-open smile with the playground kids.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

The consumer show's notable items, according to her website, external, included "talking dogs, Jobsworth Awards and campaigns on behalf of abused children, organ transplants, safe playgrounds, and to provide justice for consumers".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

They are typically nonprofit organizations that maintain amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms, playgrounds, private roads, shared parking lots, sidewalks, trash removal and more.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

Certainly, many who live in Berlin love its rich artistic and cultural life, green spaces, lakes and children's playgrounds, vibrant start-up scene and hedonistic, anything-goes nightlife.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

Ranch activities include hurtling through agility courses, swimming beneath a massive artificial waterfall and roaming sprawling fantasy playgrounds built expressly for their entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

I’m still stunned this has been here all along, because when you think of parks, you think of trees and fountains and ponds and playgrounds.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

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Related Words

• park

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