Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for play with. Search instead for Away+with.
Synonyms

play with

British  

verb

  1. to consider without giving deep thought to or coming to a conclusion concerning

    we're playing with the idea of emigrating

  2. to behave carelessly with

    to play with a girl's affections

  3. to fiddle or mess about with

    he's just playing with his food
"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

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.

The truth of “SNL” is that there’s no way to really know for sure if it will play with an audience until the sketch gets in front of one.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Anyone can play with these numbers at their leisure.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

In “The Rolling Stones,” Bob Spitz recounts one of the great origin stories, ranking up there with Steve Jobs inviting Steve Wozniak over to play with computers in his parents’ garage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants his side to play with "pure fire" as they prepare for one of their biggest weeks in years.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Some try to play with Helena, but she ignores them.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.