Phrase guide

play to

verb · 3 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • At the festival, the band played to 20,000 people.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To act in a way most suitable to; to act in a way that best brings out (a quality, condition, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He played to his strengths tonight.
  • The advertisement plays to people's fears about cancer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To act in order to gain the attention or admiration of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • to play to the crowd
  • to play to the cameras

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.