Phrase guide

play games

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To deceive; to lie about one's intentions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Stop playing games with me and tell me the truth.
  • "Accusing Governor Carey of playing games with taxpayers in his $12.7 billion budget, the Senate majority leader, Warren M. Anderson of Binghamton, said today that it would face rough sledding, in the Republican led State Senate." - New York Times, 1979

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: играя игрички (igraja igrički) — idiomatic: to deceive
  • Bulgarian: въртя номера (vǎrtja nomera) — idiomatic: to deceive