play at
verb
played at; playing at; plays at
1
: to do (something) in a way that is not serious
They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.
2
chiefly British
: to play by pretending to be (someone or something)
She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.
—often used in the phrase play at being (something)boys playing at being soldiers
3
British
—used to say in an annoyed way that one does not know the reason for someone's behavior
What is he playing at?
Cite this Entry
“Play at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20at. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
