play for laughs

idiom

: to act in a funny way that makes people laugh

She's fantastic in serious roles, but she also knows how to play for laughs.

Most performers would have taken a serious tone during the scene, but he decided to play it for laughs.

Examples of play for laughs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Rogan may play for laughs on his podcast, but none of his Covid jokes are funny, a group of doctors argue. —

NBC News, 29 Apr. 2021

Cite this Entry

Style

“Play for laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20for%20laughs. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation