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.

Looking at AAL’s monthly chart one can see how round number theory has come into play at the $10 figure:

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

"That's why his streaming stats are so high and why, if he does play at Wireless, it will sell out straight away."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

They play at Golden State on Thursday before facing the Phoenix Suns in L.A. on Friday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Until 1968 – and 1972 for football and basketball – freshmen weren’t even allowed to play at the varsity level.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 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