How do you use the word "play" in a sentence?

Q: How do you use the word "play" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "play": I will play Sudoku then instead of continuing to bother you. It is said that "Hamlet" is the most interesting play ever written.

Play Meaning

/pleɪ̯/ [pɫ̥eɪ̯ ~ pʰɫeɪ̯]

Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

verbTo act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.

verbTo toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.

Sentence Examples

I will play Sudoku then instead of continuing to bother you.

It is said that "Hamlet" is the most interesting play ever written.

You'll have to play inside today.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

drama

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

The children will ____ with the new toys in the garden this afternoon.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

The children ran outside to ____ in the garden as soon as the rain stopped falling.

Word Origin & History

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *plehan Old English pleġan Proto-West Germanic *plegō Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-West Germanic *-ōn Proto-West Germanic *plegōn Old English plegian Middle English pleyen Proto-West Germanic *plegō Old English plega Middle English pleye English play From Middle English pleyen (verb) and Middle English pleye (noun), from Old English plegian and plegan, plagian (“to play, exercise, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *plehan (“to care about, be concerned with”) and Proto-West Germanic *plegōn (“to engage, move”), of uncertain origin. cognates and related terms Cognate with Scots play (“to act or move briskly, cause to move, stir”), Saterland Frisian pleegje (“to look after, care for, maintain”), West Frisian pleegje, pliigje (“to commit, perform, bedrive”), Middle Dutch pleyen ("to dance, leap for joy, rejoice, be glad"; compare Modern Dutch pleien (“to play a particular children's game”)), Dutch plegen (“to commit, bedrive, practice”), German pflegen (“to care for, be concerned with, attend to, tend”). Related also to Old English plēon (“to risk, endanger”). More at plight, pledge. The noun is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, plega, plæġa (“play, quick motion, movement, exercise; (athletic) sport, game; festivity, drama; battle; gear for games, an implement for a game; clapping with the hands, applause”), deverbative of plegian (“to play”); see above.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"A youngster[…]listed some of the things his pet did not do:[…]go on vacation, play in the same way that he did with his friends, and so on." — 2001, Annabelle Sabloff, Reordering the Natural World, Univ. of Toronto Press, page 83:

"Thus Men are apt to play with their Healths and their Lives as they do with their Cloaths: [...]" — a. 1700 (date written), William Temple, “Of Health and Long-life”, in Miscellanea. The Third Part. […], London: […] Jonathan Swift, […] Benjamin Tooke, […], published 1701, →OCLC, page 167:

"England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday." — 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:

"His mother played false with a smith." — c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

"Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom / Well, who am I to keep you down? / It's only right that you should play the way you feel it / But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness" — 1977, “Dreams”, in Stevie Nicks (lyrics), Fleetwood Mac (music), Rumours, performed by Stevie Nicks:

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