What are some opposite words for play?
Antonyms for play
pleɪplay
This page is about all possible antonyms and opposite words for the term play.
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
playnoun
Synonyms:
sport, pastime, amusement, diversion, recreation, gambol, frolic, opportunity, scope, room
Matched Categories
Princeton's WordNet
play, drama, dramatic playnoun
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
"he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, dramatic event, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramaplaynoun
a theatrical performance of a drama
"the play lasted two hours"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramaplaynoun
a preset plan of action in team sports
"the coach drew up the plays for her team"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramamaneuver, manoeuvre, playnoun
a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
"he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop"
Synonyms:
turn, manoeuvre, dramatic play, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, tactical manoeuvre, caper, tactical maneuver, romp, gambol, tactics, simulated military operation, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, evasive action, gaming, swordplay, tactic, looseness, fun, dramaplaynoun
a state in which action is feasible
"the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramaplaynoun
utilization or exercise
"the play of the imagination"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramabid, playnoun
an attempt to get something
"they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention"
Synonyms:
turn, manoeuvre, fun, bidding, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, dictation, romp, gambol, gaming, sport, tender, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, command, dramatic play, looseness, frolic, dramaplay, child's playnoun
activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
"Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, walkover, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, piece of cake, maneuver, duck soup, caper, breeze, pushover, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, snap, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, cinch, picnic, dramaplaying period, period of play, playnoun
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
"rain stopped play in the 4th inning"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramafree rein, playnoun
the removal of constraints
"he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramashimmer, playnoun
a weak and tremulous light
"the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramafun, play, sportnoun
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"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, sportsman, fun, variation, summercater, period of play, shimmer, sportswoman, bid, mutant, maneuver, caper, romp, athletics, gaming, merriment, sport, frolic, mutation, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, playfulness, turn, dramalooseness, playnoun
movement or space for movement
"there was too much play in the steering wheel"
Synonyms:
turn, manoeuvre, dramatic play, dissipation, period of play, shimmer, bid, diarrhea, maneuver, romp, dissolution, caper, swordplay, looseness of the bowels, fun, sport, frolic, licentiousness, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, gaming, profligacy, gambol, diarrhoea, looseness, dramaplay, frolic, romp, gambol, capernoun
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"
Synonyms:
turn, put-on, joke, shoo-in, shimmer, caper, looseness, drama, gambling, maneuver, job, capriole, prank, period of play, free rein, tomboy, fun, sport, blowout, gaming, laugher, walkaway, romp, manoeuvre, dramatic play, swordplay, runaway, trick, gambol, hoyden, antic, bid, frolic, child's play, playing periodturn, playnoun
(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
"it is my turn"; "it is still my play"
Synonyms:
bend, act, twist, turning, routine, looseness, shimmer, bit, drama, gambling, maneuver, period of play, free rein, caper, fun, crook, turn of events, round, turn, sport, tour, gaming, spell, go, manoeuvre, dramatic play, swordplay, number, gambol, romp, good turn, bid, bout, frolic, child's play, playing periodgambling, gaming, playnoun
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"
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramaplay, swordplayverb
the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
Synonyms:
manoeuvre, looseness, fun, period of play, shimmer, bid, maneuver, caper, romp, gaming, sport, frolic, playing period, free rein, child's play, gambling, swordplay, gambol, dramatic play, turn, dramaplayverb
participate in games or sport
"We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
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"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
play on an instrument
"The band played all night long"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleact, play, representverb
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"
Synonyms:
take on, fiddle, dissemble, interpret, bet, spiel, act, bring, make up, behave, run, symbolize, trifle, diddle, meet, lay out, move, roleplay, dally, typify, be, act as, toy, encounter, stand for, playact, flirt, do, make for, wager, represent, stage, exemplify, recreate, pretend, present, comprise, symbolise, work, correspond, constitute, map, wreak, defendplayverb
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"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplay, spielverb
replay (as a melody)
"Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
perform music on (a musical instrument)
"He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleact, play, act asverb
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
"He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Synonyms:
pretend, make for, flirt, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, doplayverb
move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
"The spotlights played on the politicians"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
bet or wager (money)
"He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplay, recreateverb
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
"On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike"
Synonyms:
take on, fiddle, bet, spiel, work, bring, animate, quicken, vivify, run, flirt, trifle, cheer, diddle, meet, roleplay, dally, renovate, act, act as, toy, playact, encounter, make for, hearten, wager, represent, recreate, repair, reanimate, embolden, revive, revivify, wreakplayverb
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
"Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
emit recorded sound
"The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
perform on a certain location
"The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
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"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplay, toyverb
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"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
behave in a certain way
"play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplay, runverb
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"
Synonyms:
take on, course, fiddle, bet, spiel, work, scat, bring, run away, move, turn tail, melt down, range, run, guide, function, lead, lam, flirt, trifle, diddle, meet, track down, break away, head for the hills, extend, roleplay, dally, endure, bunk, take to the woods, act as, toy, consort, execute, feed, playact, carry, encounter, scarper, make for, unravel, lean, go, wager, die hard, represent, pass, flow, hunt, recreate, race, run for, fly the coop, act, hunt down, persist, incline, ladder, draw, hightail it, bleed, black market, be given, prevail, campaign, tend, escape, wreak, ply, operate, melttoy, fiddle, diddle, playverb
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"
Synonyms:
rook, swindle, fiddle, bet, spiel, act, victimize, bring, gip, shirk, goldbrick, tamper, wager, run, con, flirt, trifle, diddle, monkey, meet, tinker, gyp, roleplay, dally, act as, toy, playact, encounter, make for, defraud, hornswoggle, represent, nobble, bunco, short-change, recreate, work, take on, scam, wreak, mulct, shrink fromplayverb
use to one's advantage
"She plays on her clients' emotions"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifledally, trifle, playverb
consider not very seriously
"He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"
Synonyms:
take on, fiddle, wanton, bet, spiel, act, romance, run, flirt, trifle, dally, diddle, meet, coquette, piddle, roleplay, chat up, butterfly, act as, toy, encounter, playact, work, dawdle, make for, piddle away, represent, wanton away, frivol, bring, recreate, philander, coquet, mash, wreak, wagerplayverb
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"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifledally, toy, play, flirtverb
behave carelessly or indifferently
"Play about with a young girl's affection"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, bring, wager, flirt, dally, work, meet, take on, coquette, coquet, butterfly, romance, wreak, dawdle, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, philander, act, represent, mash, chat up, encounter, trifle, act asplayverb
cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space
"The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleact, play, roleplay, playactverb
perform on a stage or theater
"She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"
Synonyms:
pretend, make for, flirt, represent, dissemble, dally, recreate, wager, move, wreak, take on, work, toy, roleplay, playact, bet, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act, act as, bring, encounter, trifle, behave, doplayverb
be performed or presented for public viewing
"What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, triflebring, work, play, wreak, make forverb
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"
Synonyms:
take on, knead, land, operate, fiddle, bet, process, work, shape, get, impart, add, work out, run, act as, function, put to work, flirt, trifle, take, forge, meet, lick, spiel, solve, make, roleplay, dally, fetch, act, figure out, form, toy, turn, mould, sour, playact, encounter, exploit, make for, go, bestow, represent, do work, mold, bring, recreate, puzzle out, institute, diddle, convey, crop, exercise, bring in, ferment, cultivate, work on, contribute, act upon, influence, wreak, lend, wagerplayverb
discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream
"play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
make bets
"Play the races"; "play the casinos in Trouville"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, triflebet, wager, playverb
stake on the outcome of an issue
"I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse"
Synonyms:
count, make for, bring, flirt, represent, work, dally, recreate, wager, reckon, look, toy, depend, bet, roleplay, playact, wreak, run, fiddle, spiel, diddle, meet, act, act as, calculate, encounter, trifle, take onplayverb
shoot or hit in a particular manner
"She played a good backhand last night"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
use or move
"I had to play my queen"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifleplayverb
employ in a game or in a specific position
"They played him on first base"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, triflemeet, encounter, play, take onverb
contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
"Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"
Synonyms:
conform to, touch, playact, fiddle, bet, spiel, act, take, foregather, gather, fulfill, dally, run, adjoin, find, match, flirt, suffer, acquire, fulfil, diddle, meet, chance, converge, fit, satisfy, receive, act as, toy, assume, forgather, work, encounter, get together, make for, happen, run into, cope with, fill, represent, run across, take over, come across, bring, recreate, roleplay, tackle, trifle, undertake, assemble, contact, bump, take on, accept, admit, wreak, see, adopt, wagerplayverb
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
"play a hooked fish"
Synonyms:
recreate, make for, act, flirt, represent, work, dally, wager, wreak, take on, toy, bet, roleplay, playact, run, fiddle, diddle, meet, spiel, act as, bring, encounter, trifle
Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words
playnoun
Synonyms:
game, pastime, amusement, recreation, diversion, sport, disport, gambols, frolic, jest, merriment, action, use, employment, practice, exercise, comedy, drama, melodrama, farce, burlesque, dalliance, toying, twiddling, liberty, scope, swingAssociated words:
dramaturgy, dramaturgist, dramatic, dramatize, dramatization, theater, rôle, repertoireplayverb
Synonyms:
frolic, sport, gambol, disport, frisk, skip, caper, romp, revel, wanton, dally, toy, twiddle, impersonate, personate, act, perform, execute, strum, thrum, gamble, simulate, pretend, feign, dissemble
Editors Contribution
judiciary
when you play it means being a judge
the judiciary played
How to use play in a sentence?
I’ll know when the time’s right. If I can’t … if I’m not a championship-level quarterback, then I’m not gonna play. If I’m a liability to the team, I mean, no way. But if I think I can win a championship, then I’ll play.
I think special operations will always play a heavier role in the war years to come, but we also have to balance that so we don't burn out these forces. And I think we've seen some of that over the last several years of this 20-year war.
Every good game leaves the player eager to start again, unsatisfied or inspired by their opponent , there is a hoping for more energy, more vitality, more time – my regret is that there is not enough time to play Paul F. Meekin again and win back my watch.”
They're a really good team. I don't think their record does them justice, they play really hard. ... They were a really tough team defensively.
It's been a long time since I played that well in the first round of this tournament, i still feel like I got somewhat of the length to play somewhat long golf courses. Not like some of the guys, but I just hit it in good positions and I left John Daly those six or seven pins that were back that I left John Daly good uphill putts.
Words popularity by usage frequency
ranking | word | |
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#516 | play |
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"play." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/antonyms/play>.
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