PLAYS Synonyms: 240 Similar and Opposite Words

plays 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of play

as in recreates

to engage in activity for amusement told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work

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as in performs

to present a portrayal or performance of played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic

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as in mocks

to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank

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as in idles

to spend time in aimless activity just played around while we waited for the bus to arrive

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as in manipulates

to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently this is how we're going to play the situation

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as in puts

to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event figuring that she had little to lose, she played her last few bucks on the state lottery

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plays

2 of 2

noun

plural of play

as in dramas

a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage we'll be putting on a school play using that stage

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as in uses

the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony

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as in ruses

a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of plays

Verb

The rear tire plays a different role from its conventional use on roads. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026 But the technology operating above Earth plays an enormous role in everyday life. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Zendaya, whose full name is Zendaya Coleman, was at the game to support her nephew EJ Coleman, who plays football for Folsom High School. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, an A-list actor who is brutally disfigured by a gangster. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026 Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 The actor plays a child predator, who fully undresses in front of Skyler Gisondo’s character. — Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2026 Fielder often plays the loner, the outsider; his struggle to find romantic love is a common theme in his early work. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 After the Longhorns stuffed Jadan Baugh for a 2-yard loss plays later, Jones sold a fake, rolled out and connected with tight end Lacota Dippre for a 7-yard score. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Noun

Just three plays later, Madsen connected with junior wideout Cam Bates for a 6-yard touchdown and a 17-10 lead that set the groundwork for Boise State to run away with the game. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026 Both teams had three touchdown drives in the third quarter all of Rice's covering 75 yards on a total of 12 plays. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Pellot’s 67-yard interception return set up a one-yard scoring run by Wayne Knight five plays later for his 13th touchdown of the season. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 Through six games, the offense has had one or fewer pass plays of over 20 yards in three contests despite going the entire 2025 season without a game with less than two explosive pass plays. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 Oddly enough, her two Best Actress plays are both black-and-white, European period pieces, but while Rose is full of gender-bending swagger, Fatherland is a more subdued performance. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 Part of Miami’s passing struggles have come from the lack of pass protection, or Willis not seeing plays develop before the pass rush gets to him. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 On the next snap, Jackson ran for 64 yards, and three plays later the Wildcats got the touchdown they were denied moments earlier. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026 The other backs who found the end zone on rushing plays were Tyler Reid, Ryan Mathis, Jacquez Burley, Shamar Sampson and Pharrell Woodside. — From Staff, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays

Verb

Flooding recreates the wetlands that once spread across much of California’s Sacramento Valley.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
Related Stories The attraction recreates several of the films’ most recognizable settings, from the desert planet of Arrakis to the imperial throne room.

— Anna Tingley, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of recreates

Verb

The re-emergence of a long-unseen Jean-Michel Basquiat masterpiece is a miracle the art market occasionally performs.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Brooks performs in the round, meaning anyone can see him on the stage regardless of where they’re seated.

— Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of performs

Verb

We are presented with a few potentially hissable villains, including an attorney for the state (Christian Rubeck) who mocks the Gheorghius’ faith and a frostily inflexible social worker, Gunda (Ellen Dorrit Petersen).

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is designed as an action flick as well as a portrait of a family dealing with tragedy and an insider’s look at an insular community that mocks harmful stereotypes without perpetrating them.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of mocks

Verb

As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.

— Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.

— Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025

Definition of idles

Verb

In Kazan’s remake, Cathy craves power and freedom and manipulates the men in her life to achieve those goals.

— Katie Gunderman, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
The series follows Mónica, a newly qualified lawyer who learns to defraud clients, manipulates her family to secure an inheritance, then betrays her mentor.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of manipulates

Verb

The latest Channel 12 opinion poll puts Eisenkot first with 23 seats, ahead of the Likud with 21, though other pollsters differ.

— Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
View gallery - 7 images This tiny house takes the look of a traditional mountain lodge and puts it on wheels.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of puts

Noun

Luke Evans is among the rare cadre of British actors who regularly balance Hollywood blockbusters with more modest British dramas.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
All kinds of films, from big-budget spectacles to art house dramas, are stretching their runtimes.

— Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of dramas

Noun

The idea is to provide nimble and reliable baseload power that’s clean, meltdown-proof, and relatively agile for limited power uses.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Residents continue to face limitations on nonessential water uses, such as when they are allowed to water their lawns.

— Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026