Synonyms

play at

Idioms

Do or take part in half-heartedly, as in She was just playing at keeping house, letting the others do all the work. [Mid-1800s]

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.

Charles is Britain’s best diplomatic card to play at a time when bilateral relations are at a generational low.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

“I realized she didn’t play at work all day.”

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

Looking at the stock’s daily chart one can see how round number theory came into play at the very round $100 figure:

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Born in Welch, W. Va., the son of a coal miner grew up in Los Angeles and attended Hamilton High before going on to play at Los Angeles City College and USC.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

“You must play at my house some day,” Threpe said, then quickly held up a hand.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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