How to Use play with in a Sentence

play with

verb
  • That’s what the film plays with.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
  • There’s so much space to play with that.
    — Charlie Harding, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Lemieux still played with passion.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
  • Maybe playing with fire isn’t the worst thing in the world.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
  • The Pistons played with more force.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 6 May 2026
  • Lopez plays with force and has a knack for grabbing rebounds.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 June 2026
  • The guy is a football junkie and plays with the timing and rhythm.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The guy is a football junkie and plays with the timing and rhythm.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Feel free to play with the seasonings.
    — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2026
  • Just played with a lot of energy.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2026
  • Rodgers might be a coach, but she's played with or against some many of her players.
    — Matt Lively, CBS News, 20 May 2026
  • Greg cooked, cleaned, played with the kids, took them places, and engaged in home life.
    — Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
  • That's right, a birthday shoot of her playing with fire.
    — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
  • Children still play with toy cars, trains, dinosaurs or dolls.
    — Mark Thirlwell, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Escorts feed, groom, protect, and play with the pups.
    — Big Think, 8 May 2026
  • Varas’ team played with nerve and clarity.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • Very much enjoyed playing with him.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026
  • His teammates liked playing with him.
    — Doug Haller, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Rider never plays with the same kids from one season to the next.
    — Chris Murphy, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
  • There are a couple of things probably in play with that.
    — Scott Powers, New York Times, 12 June 2026
  • Like, by all means go out and find a primary job, and then come play with us all the time.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
  • Like, is this Root playing with me, or is this the real thing?
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
  • Portland shot it well and played with more urgency.
    — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
  • Rambukkana's toddler plays with her mum's phone as the minutes tick over.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Here, a creator plays with contrast in leather, lace, and black cargo jeans.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 June 2026
  • The simulator is fun to play with, too.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 12 June 2026
  • Bring your lunch and eat outside, play with the kids after work, take a bike ride, get the yard mowed, etc.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 9 June 2026
  • The point of being alive is to experience life and play with it.
    — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
  • He’s built like an NFL tight end and can make plays with the ball like a guard.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
  • Other larger kittens played with their toys.
    — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play with.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: