Synonyms

playtime

American

[pley-tahym] / ˈpleɪˌtaɪm /

noun

time times for play or recreation.

playtime British

/ ˈpleɪˌtaɪm /

noun

a time for play or recreation, esp the school break

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of playtime

First recorded in 1610–20; play + time

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.

"It's a really good tool for my son to use because it helps him with that transition from active playtime into downtime," she explains.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025

In the meantime, Maxwell was moved to a cushy prison and given all kinds of perks, including puppy playtime.

From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025

Perhaps because I associate purple with funky creativity, ChatGPT feels more like playtime now that my text bubbles show up in purple rather than dull office gray.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

It’s a magnification of childhood playtime, a puppet show in which the puppets have broken loose from the puppeteers.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2025

They worked at it every minute of their playtime.

From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

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