playground
Americannoun
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playgrounds
plural
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an area used for outdoor play or recreation, especially by children, and often containing recreational equipment such as slides and swings.
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Informal. any place, environment, or facility used for recreation or amusement, as a resort.
The tropical island is an international playground for the rich.
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an arena of operation or activity.
noun
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an outdoor area for children's play, esp one having swings, slides, etc, or adjoining a school
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a place or region particularly popular as a sports or holiday resort
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a sphere of activity
reading was his private playground
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of playground
Explanation
A playground is a place to frolic and play. Most kids know where the nearest playground is because that’s where the swings and slides are. Neighborhoods and schools usually have a playground. Weeeeee! A playground built especially for kids has equipment for them to play on, like climbing structures, swings, seesaws, and play houses. Many public parks have this kind of playground. When adults talk about their favorite playgrounds, they usually mean a place they go to do the sports or activities they love. A nearby mountain, for example, could be described as a playground for snow boarders.
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.
See Examples For:
"The power of CDWs is that they are a much simpler form of matter compared to superconductivity. They offer a playground for fundamental understanding."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Three seasons in, the set has become the world’s best playground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Early mixed-media pieces that combine articles of clothing and faux bricks feel unpolished, and other sculptures—oversize ice pops and a spring-mounted playground unicorn—are as superficial as his more iconic paintings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The family installed playground equipment in their backyard, but that means their son rarely plays with other kids.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
“Hidden in plain sight,” I muttered as I yanked the fifth and final one off the concrete wall of the Revere Building and carefully tucked it inside the backpack I’d found abandoned on the playground.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
But in England, campaign group Play England is warning that many children don’t have access to high quality playgrounds and play opportunities.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Noguchi extended the same spirit of innovation and aesthetic brilliance to his playgrounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
The new parks and playgrounds now scattered across the city "are really important for people's mental health".
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
The administration office, playgrounds and other parts of the complex remain closed until further notice.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
But I know ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds.
From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
