play with

phrasal verb

played with; playing with; plays with

: 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.

: 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!

: 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

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.

The elderly single mom, played with an irritable, bone-deep bitterness by Irish actor Fiona Shaw, has spent the past few years paralyzed by an illness no one can diagnose. —

Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 At 6-foot-4, 304 pounds, Alexander can rush from different spots and plays with great energy and effort. —

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025 About two-thirds reported that children were more inclined to play with toys (67%) or siblings and friends (62%).1 Ironically and unfortunately, using screens as a crutch—however necessary—may be fueling higher boredom rates. —

Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 13 Feb. 2025 The little boy was seen playing with Musk on stage, which the audience found heartwarming. —

Skyler Caruso, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for play with