Synonyms for Play

Top synonyms for “play”: act, act as, bet, bid, bring, caper, child's play, dally, and 36 more below.

Definitions

1. (noun)the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
2. (noun)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”
3. (noun)activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
   “Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child”
4. (noun)(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
   “it is my turn”
5. (noun)gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
   “it was all done in play”
6. (noun)a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
   “he made a great maneuver”
7. (noun)a preset plan of action in team sports
   “the coach drew up the plays for her team”
8. (noun)an attempt to get something
   “they made a futile play for power”
9. (noun)utilization or exercise
   “the play of the imagination”
10. (noun)movement or space for movement
    “there was too much play in the steering wheel”
11. (noun)verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
    “he became a figure of fun”
12. (noun)a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
    “he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway”

Definitions sourced from Princeton WordNet (BSD license).