" plays "

1: to engage in activity for amusement;

  * e.g., " ... told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work "

•  Synonyms : 

•  dallies,

•  disports,

•  frolics,

•  recreates,

•  rollicks,

•  skylarks,

•  sports,

•  toys

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to present a portrayal or performance of;

  * e.g., " ... played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic "

•  Synonyms : 

•  acts,

•  does,

•  impersonates,

•  interprets,

•  performs,

•  portrays

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior;

  * e.g., " ... stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank "

•  Synonyms : 

•  acts,

•  impersonates,

•  masquerades (as),

•  personates,

•  poses (as)

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to engage in activity for amusement;

  * e.g., " ... told her son that he needed some time to run and play in the yard after his hard work "

•  Synonyms : 

•  dally,

•  disport,

•  frolic,

•  recreate,

•  rollick,

•  skylark,

•  sport,

•  toy

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to present a portrayal or performance of;

  * e.g., " ... played Hamlet in the campus production of the classic "

•  Synonyms : 

•  act,

•  do,

•  impersonate,

•  interpret,

•  perform,

•  portray

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: to pretend to be (what one is not) in appearance or behavior;

  * e.g., " ... stop playing the innocent, because I know that you were behind that prank "

•  Synonyms : 

•  act,

•  impersonate,

•  masquerade (as),

•  personate,

•  pose (as)

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to take unfair advantage of;

  * e.g., " ... the candidate played on the voters' prejudices "

•  Synonyms : 

•  abuse,

•  capitalize (on),

•  cash in (on),

•  exploit,

•  impose (on or upon),

•  leverage,

•  milk,

•  pimp,

•  use,

•  work

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means;

  * e.g., " ... played upon the customer's vanity to convince her to buy the expensive makeup kit "

•  Synonyms : 

•  exploit,

•  manipulate

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to handle thoughtlessly, ignorantly, or mischievously;

  * e.g., " ... please don't play with the telephone "

•  Synonyms : 

•  diddle (with),

•  fiddle (with),

•  fool (with),

•  mess (with),

•  monkey (with),

•  tamper (with),

•  tinker (with),

•  toy (with),

•  twiddle (with)

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: as in fools around, cats (around);

•  Synonyms : 

•  cats (around),

•  fools around,

•  fornicates,

•  tomcats (around),

•  womanizes,

•  cheats,

•  philanders,

•  screws around,

•  steps out,

•  copulates,

•  couples,

•  lies,

•  makes out,

•  mates,

•  sleeps,

•  lusts

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to express scornfully one's low opinion of;

  * e.g., " ... out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bad-mouths,

•  belittles,

•  cries down,

•  decries,

•  denigrates,

•  deprecates,

•  depreciates,

•  derogates,

•  diminishes,

•  discounts,

•  dismisses,

•  disparages,

•  disses,

•  kisses off,

•  minimizes,

•  poor-mouths,

•  puts down,

•  runs down,

•  talks down,

•  trashes,

•  trash-talks,

•  vilipends,

•  writes off

•  Antonyms : 

•  acclaims,

•  applauds,

•  exalts,

•  extols,

•  glorifies,

•  lauds,

•  magnifies,

•  praises

2: to reduce in apparent importance;

  * e.g., " ... if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve "

•  Synonyms : 

•  de-emphasizes,

•  downplays,

•  soft-pedals

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to make complete use of;

  * e.g., " ... we've finally played out the leftovers from that huge holiday meal "

•  Synonyms : 

•  absorbs,

•  burns,

•  consumes,

•  depletes,

•  devours,

•  drains,

•  draws down,

•  exhausts,

•  expends,

•  spends,

•  uses up

•  Antonyms : 

•  renews,

•  replaces

1: a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage;

  * e.g., " ... we'll be putting on a school play using that stage "

•  Synonyms : 

•  dramas,

•  dramatizations

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose;

  * e.g., " ... the host's sense of humor was obviously in play during the awards ceremony "

•  Synonyms : 

•  applications,

•  employments,

•  exercises,

•  operations,

•  usages,

•  uses

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end;

  * e.g., " ... the guy at the bar made an unusually creative play to get her phone number "

•  Synonyms : 

•  artifices,

•  devices,

•  dodges,

•  fetches,

•  flimflams,

•  gambits,

•  gimmicks,

•  jigs,

•  juggles,

•  knacks,

•  ploys,

•  ruses,

•  schemes,

•  shenanigans,

•  sleights,

•  stratagems,

•  tricks,

•  wiles

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: activity engaged in to amuse oneself;

  * e.g., " ... it's such a delight to watch the children in their play "

•  Synonyms : 

•  dalliance,

•  frolic,

•  frolicking,

•  fun,

•  fun and games,

•  recreation,

•  relaxation,

•  rollicking,

•  sport

•  Antonyms : 

•  earnest

2: a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage;

  * e.g., " ... we'll be putting on a school play using that stage "

•  Synonyms : 

•  drama,

•  dramatization

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously;

  * e.g., " ... I didn't mean to insult anyone, for it was all just play "

•  Synonyms : 

•  fun,

•  game,

•  jest,

•  sport

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)