playground

American  

[pley-ground] / ˈpleɪˌgraʊnd /

noun

playgrounds plural

1. an area used for outdoor play or recreation, especially by children, and often containing recreational equipment such as slides and swings.

2. Informal. any place, environment, or facility used for recreation or amusement, as a resort.

   The tropical island is an international playground for the rich.

3. an arena of operation or activity.

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playground British  

/ ˈpleɪˌɡraʊnd /

noun

1. an outdoor area for children's play, esp one having swings, slides, etc, or adjoining a school

2. a place or region particularly popular as a sports or holiday resort

3. a sphere of activity

   reading was his private playground

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• playgrounds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of playground

First recorded in 1770–80; play + ground ¹

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

The longest he disappears for at the championships is 12 hours, said Davis, adding: "It is his playground, I mean, he pretty much fledged here at 18 weeks old."

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

To outsiders, Nantucket can seem like a faraway, rich-person’s playground, full of yacht-packed marinas, six-figure golf-club memberships and $300 seafood towers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

There is a sprawling playground and a public library.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

You know, it was just such a privilege to be able to create a playground and bring together this kind of ensemble.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

And that was how our whole seventh-grade science class ended up on the playground behind the school at the end of day on a Monday afternoon.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

Related Words

• park