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]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

play at

"But another effect comes into play at the same time."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

Villareal, who turned 20 just two days prior, didn’t know she would play at all on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

The Canadian mockumentary follows a musical duo determined to play at a Toronto rock club through various schemes that inevitably go awry.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

For now, the dirt, which was seeded with grass to prevent runoff, isn’t interrupting play at East Potomac.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

I finished an article about a Torah dedication and began another about a play at the Maxwell Street theater.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros