play with
verb
played with; playing with; plays with
1
: to move or handle (something) with one's hands or fingers often without thinking
Stop playing with that pen and pay attention to what I'm saying.
2
: to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way
I played with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.
It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.
Don't play with my heart/emotions.
You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!
3
: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously
I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.
Cite this Entry
“Play with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20with. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
