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.

The focus of world football will be tight to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland when Norway play at their first World Cup finals since 1998.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

As he eats, he scans a printed list of film titles – mainly vintage comedies – looking for something to play at his family movie night.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Round-number theory has also come into play at the key $100 level, which previously acted as support last June, December, and again in January.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Notre Dame will play at Norco on Tuesday in the semifinals.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

We are playing that hand-slapping game, the one we like to play at recess.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

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