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Synonyms

play at

Idioms  
  1. 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.

Ghana and Panama play at 7 Eastern, while Colombia and Uzbekistan face off at 10.

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2026

The patient Gameway manager, who used to work at GameStop, assured me it just takes practice and encouraged me to play at home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Not every player in their mid-30s could return and play at a high level after sitting out two seasons.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

In Italy, footballers are strictly forbidden to play at amateur or professional level with the device fitted.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

She taught me how to play rummy, which is a card game Americans play at summer camps.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

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