play
noun
a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
was playing
-
past progressiveof play.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
As I left my hotel, the television in the lobby was playing rolling news coverage of the protests.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
I had thought I was playing aggressively because I checked out both “The Illusionists.”
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
At four years old, Gracie Kinnear from Carmarthen was playing outside with friends during the school holidays when a van driver crashed into her, leaving her with life-threatening injuries.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
“He was playing a character that was like a very crotchety old man who hated everything,” Grossman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
The military band was playing and the crowd was massed on the far side of the square where the fireworks specialist and his son were trying to send up fire balloons.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
