play

noun
UK: /pleɪ/
US: /pleɪ/

  1. Activity done for enjoyment, not work

    1. The children are at play in the garden right now. [ ] [ ]
    2. Organized team play is an important part of child development in society. [ ] [ ]

  2. A theatrical performance

    1. We saw a play at the theatre. [ ] [ ]
    2. Shakespeare's plays continue to be performed worldwide every year. [ ] [ ]

  3. Freedom of movement within a mechanism

    1. There's too much play in this steering wheel to operate it safely. [ ] [ ]
    2. The excessive play in the gears caused the machinery malfunction during operation. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

game pretend show fun amusement performance act operate entertainment
play verb

  1. To take part in an activity for enjoyment or recreation

    1. The kids play in the park. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many children play video games after finishing their homework diligently. [ ] [ ]

  2. To perform a piece of music or act in a play

    1. She can play the piano beautifully. [ ] [ ]
    2. He will play the role of Hamlet in the new theater production next season. [ ] [ ]

  3. To compete in a game or sport

    1. They play football every Saturday. [ ] [ ]
    2. Our national team will play against Brazil in the upcoming international match. [ ] [ ]

  4. To move or operate something.

    1. Play the music, please. [ ] [ ]
    2. The sunlight will play across the surface of the water in the morning. [ ] [ ]
play adjective

  1. Not to be taken seriously; intended for enjoyment and amusement

    1. It was just a play fight. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her play behavior at the kindergarten showed how happy she was. [ ] [ ]
play intransitive-verb

  1. To pretend to do something

    1. Stop play acting scared. [ ] [ ]
    2. The child started play acting as a superhero for fun on the playground. [ ] [ ]
play transitive-verb

  1. To cause something to move or operate

    1. Please play the next song. [ ] [ ]
    2. The conductor had to play the orchestra with a lot of enthusiasm. [ ] [ ]
play phrasal-verb

  1. To use or exploit someone unfairly

    1. They play on people's fears. [ ] [ ]
    2. Dishonest companies often play on the customers ignorance of the market. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "play" in English means: Activity done for enjoyment, not work, A theatrical performance, Freedom of movement within a mechanism.

The phonetic transcription of "play" is /pleɪ/ in British English and /pleɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "play": game, pretend, show, fun, amusement, performance, act, operate, entertainment.

Example usage of "play": "The children are at play in the garden right now.". More examples on the page.