play with
phrasal verb
played with; playing with; plays with
1
: to move or handle (something) with one's hands or fingers often without thinking
Stop playing with that pen and pay attention to what I'm saying.
2
: to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way
I played with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.
It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.
Don't play with my heart/emotions.
You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!
3
: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously
I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.
Examples of play with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In keeping the flame of hope alive, Machado has begun to play with fire.
—
Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Great upright bass player, played with Pentangle, the only upright bass player to play with the Who, just an amazing guy.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2025
The refined maximalists gave us pointers for how to curate a space that plays with bold patterns, bright colors, and various textures without going overboard.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
Villa have enjoyed a successful style, evading risk and playing with precision.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play with
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Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Great upright bass player, played with Pentangle, the only upright bass player to play with the Who, just an amazing guy.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2025
The refined maximalists gave us pointers for how to curate a space that plays with bold patterns, bright colors, and various textures without going overboard.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
Villa have enjoyed a successful style, evading risk and playing with precision.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play with
Cite this Entry
“Play with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20with. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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