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Synonyms

make a play for

Idioms  

  1. Try to attract someone's interest, especially romantic interest. For example, Bill has been making a play for Anne, but so far it hasn't gotten him anywhere. [Slang; c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Apollo was the latest to make a play for Paramount, getting in line behind Ellison’s Skydance, David Zaslav’s Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times

“I figured okay, let’s make a play for Heritage Hunt,” Roem explained.

From Salon

The company based in New York City is the latest to make a play for Paramount, getting in line behind David Zaslav’s Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was reaching back for the puck and trying to make a play for the net,” Tanev said.

From Seattle Times

“Out there on the field, I’m not really realizing what I’m doing. The ball comes my way, I want to make a play for my teammates.”

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.