Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun play
17 senses of play
Sense 1
play, drama, dramatic play -- (a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway")
=> dramatic composition, dramatic work -- (a play for performance on the stage or television or in a movie etc.)
Sense 2
play -- (a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours")
=> show -- (a social event involving a public performance or entertainment; "they wanted to see some of the shows on Broadway")
Sense 3
play -- (a preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up the plays for her team")
=> plan of action -- (a plan for actively doing something)
Sense 4
maneuver, manoeuvre, play -- (a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; "he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop")
=> motion, movement, move -- (the act of changing location from one place to another; "police controlled the motion of the crowd"; "the movement of people from the farms to the cities"; "his move put him directly in my path")
Sense 5
play -- (a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play")
=> action, activity, activeness -- (the state of being active; "his sphere of activity"; "he is out of action")
Sense 6
play -- (utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination")
=> use, usage, utilization, utilisation, employment, exercise -- (the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers")
Sense 7
bid, play -- (an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention")
=> attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try -- (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something; "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try")
Sense 8
play, child's play -- (activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child")
=> diversion, recreation -- (an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates; "scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists"; "for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles"; "drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation")
Sense 9
playing period, period of play, play -- ((in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning")
=> measure, quantity, amount -- (how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify)
Sense 10
free rein, play -- (the removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent")
=> freedom -- (the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints)
Sense 11
shimmer, play -- (a weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water")
=> change, alteration, modification -- (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; "the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is certainly a change for the worse"; "the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago")
Sense 12
fun, play, sport -- (verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"; "he said it in sport")
=> wit, humor, humour, witticism, wittiness -- (a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter)
Sense 13
looseness, play -- (movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel")
=> movability, movableness -- (the quality of being movable; capable of being moved or rearranged)
Sense 14
play, frolic, romp, gambol, caper -- (gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly")
=> diversion, recreation -- (an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates; "scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists"; "for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles"; "drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation")
Sense 15
turn, play -- ((game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play")
=> activity -- (any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity")
Sense 16
gambling, gaming, play -- (the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table")
=> diversion, recreation -- (an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates; "scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists"; "for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles"; "drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation")
=> vice -- (a specific form of evildoing; "vice offends the moral standards of the community")
Sense 17
play, swordplay -- (the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully)
=> action -- (something done (usually as opposed to something said); "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions")
Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb play
35 senses of play
Sense 1
play -- (participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches")
=> compete, vie, contend -- (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)
Phrasal Verb-> play out#3
Sense 2
play -- (act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal")
=> act, move -- (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel")
Sense 3
play -- (play on an instrument; "The band played all night long")
=> perform -- (give a performance (of something); "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera")
Sense 4
act, play, represent -- (play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master")
=> re-create -- (create anew; "Re-create the boom of the West on a small scale")
Sense 5
play -- (be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl")
=> act -- (be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure)
Sense 6
play, spiel -- (replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully")
=> re-create -- (create anew; "Re-create the boom of the West on a small scale")
Sense 7
play -- (perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?")
=> sound -- (cause to sound; "sound the bell"; "sound a certain note")
Sense 8
act, play, act as -- (pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad")
=> act, behave, do -- (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people")
Sense 9
play -- (move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians")
=> travel, go, move, locomote -- (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast")
Sense 10
play -- (bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races")
=> gamble -- (play games for money)
Sense 11
play, recreate -- (engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike")
Sense 12
play -- (pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians")
=> simulate, assume, sham, feign -- (make a pretence of; "She assumed indifference, even though she was seething with anger"; "he feigned sleep")
Sense 13
play -- (emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered")
=> sound -- (give off a certain sound or sounds; "This record sounds scratchy")
Sense 14
play -- (perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years")
=> perform -- (give a performance (of something); "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera")
Sense 15
play -- (put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory")
=> deploy -- (place troops or weapons in battle formation)
Sense 16
play, toy -- (engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea")
=> act, behave, do -- (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself; "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people")
Sense 17
play -- (behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair")
=> act, move -- (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel")
Sense 18
play, run -- (cause to emit recorded audio or video; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "I'll play you my favorite record"; "He never tires of playing that video")
Sense 19
toy, fiddle, diddle, play -- (manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate")
=> manipulate -- (hold something in one's hands and move it)
Sense 20
play -- (use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions")
=> exploit, work -- (use or manipulate to one's advantage; "He exploit the new taxation system"; "She knows how to work the system"; "he works his parents for sympathy")
Sense 21
dally, trifle, play -- (consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania")
=> consider, take, deal, look at -- (take into consideration for exemplifying purposes; "Take the case of China"; "Consider the following case")
Sense 22
play -- (be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee")
Sense 23
dally, toy, play, flirt -- (behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection")
=> act, move -- (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel")
Sense 24
play -- (cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack")
=> move, displace -- (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant")
Sense 25
act, play, roleplay, playact -- (perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'")
=> perform -- (give a performance (of something); "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera")
Sense 26
play -- (be performed or presented for public viewing; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years")
Sense 27
bring, work, play, wreak, make for -- (cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area")
=> make, create -- (make or cause to be or to become; "make a mess in one's office"; "create a furor")
Sense 28
play -- (discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day")
=> discharge -- (pour forth or release; "discharge liquids")
Sense 29
play -- (make bets; "Play the races"; "play the casinos in Trouville")
=> bet, wager, play -- (stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse")
Sense 30
bet, wager, play -- (stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse")
=> gamble -- (play games for money)
Sense 31
play -- (shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night")
=> hit -- (cause to move by striking; "hit a ball")
Sense 32
play -- (use or move; "I had to play my queen")
=> use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ -- (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer")
Sense 33
play -- (employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base")
=> use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ -- (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer")
Sense 34
meet, encounter, play, take on -- (contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary")
Sense 35
play -- (exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish")
=> exhaust, wash up, beat, tucker, tucker out -- (wear out completely; "This kind of work exhausts me"; "I'm beat"; "He was all washed up after the exam")
