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 Bears play at Soldier Field, the oldest NFL stadium and publicly owned.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“They play at a high level. Obviously one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team, and we have an opportunity to go into OKC and battle them.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Round number theory then came into play at $30 with a bearish shooting star candle on March 19.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

He never got the chance to play at a major international tournament but, as head coach, he aims to put that right by qualifying for this summer's World Cup.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

The city middle school band had gotten to play at Carnegie Hall.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

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