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

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But the team is playing with a new level of confidence since the holiday break. —

Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025 But one thing was certain: Under its new leader the Minnesota Orchestra still has the pride and quality that Vänskä helped instill, playing with a conviction and an intensity that could put many a more heralded ensemble to shame. —

David Allen Jenn Ackerman, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025 There are many fun vase options to play with, too, and sizes. —

Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025 Report Oilers forward Corey Perry, who's been someone that plays with an edge his entire 20-season career, can also empathize for McDavid's position. —

Justin Gest, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for play with