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
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.
Netflix Playground, the company’s game app, will also add more games, including “My Very Hungry Caterpillar,” later this year.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
Launching in the UK and Ireland on 22nd June, the Playground ditches controllers for body movements, tracking players using AI and a built-in camera.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
Nick from Louisiana, who has had the Playground for six months for his children aged three and five, said the subscription was his "biggest hesitancy" when he first began researching the device.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
Beyond Siri, Apple’s Image Playground and Image Editing “are clear ‘killer apps’ that appear miles improved” from previous versions, according to Woodring.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
“So, do you want to hear how I wrote the Marcy Playground song, or what?”
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
