Quick Answer • Definition
Play definition: To engage in an activity for enjoyment and recreation, often involving rules or competition.
Concept Illustration

Visual representation of "play"
Definitions of Play
- 1verb
To engage in an activity for enjoyment and recreation, often involving rules or competition.
- 2verb
To perform music on an instrument or to make a sound with it.
- 3noun
A dramatic performance on stage, typically with a plot and characters.
Example Sentences
casual
“Children love to play in the park.”
casual
“She can play the piano beautifully.”
casual
“We went to see a new play last night.”
Topics & Categories
Topic & ExploreInflected Word Forms
past tenseplayed
present participleplaying
agent nounplayer
adjectiveplayful
Phrases & Idiomatic Expressions
play a roleidiom
To have a part or function in something.
play it by earidiom
To decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than by having a fixed plan.
play with fireidiom
To take foolish risks.
Frequently Asked Questions: Play in English
What is the meaning of Play in English?▼
Play definition: To engage in an activity for enjoyment and recreation, often involving rules or competition.
How do you translate 'Play' to English?▼
'Play' translates to 'play' in English. Play definition: To engage in an activity for enjoyment and recreation, often involving rules or competition.
How do you pronounce 'Play' and 'play'?▼
Listen to clear English audio pronunciation of 'Play' and native English audio speech for 'play' with bilingual sentence examples on DictBridge.
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