playground
Americannoun
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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
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.
There is also a sprawling playground and a public library.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
A famous 1955 photo of her sitting in a Long Island playground reading James Joyce’s “Ulysses” — one of 50 known photos of her reading — is routinely scoffed at whenever it’s posted online.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
On a weekday afternoon in Japan, John Deng stands near the playground, listening to other children play and laugh.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
From board games to first-person shooters, games have historically provided a structured, rules-based playground for digital algorithms to learn.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
I used the rest of the morning to draw a map of the playground and plan multiple escape routes.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
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.
