play
/pleɪ̯/ [pɫ̥eɪ̯ ~ pʰɫeɪ̯]verb, noun
play is spelled P-L-A-Y: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 407 times per million words in written English, the 220th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, play means “To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in play?
| Letters | 4: P-L-A-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 407 times per million words; the 220th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is play?
Play appears 407 times per million words in written English, the 220th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce play?
- US /pleɪ̯/ [pɫ̥eɪ̯ ~ pʰɫeɪ̯]
- /ple(j)/
Play has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-play.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with play?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as play.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: paly.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of play
- plays present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- playing participle, present
- played participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does play mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
The children played in the park.
- 2
To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.
Don't play with your food!
- 3
To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
He plays on three teams.
- 4
Specifying a particular sporting role or position.
He plays left back for Mudchester Rovers
- 5
To compete against, in a game.
We're playing one of the top teams in the next round.
- 6
To be the opposing score to.
Look at the score now ... 23 plays 8!
- 7
To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-death combats; to engage in martial games; to joust; to fence
- 8
To act or behave in a stated way.
to play safe, to play fair, to play dirty
noun
- 1
Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
Children learn through play.
- 2
Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
This kind of play helps the young lion cubs develop their hunting skills.
- 3
The conduct, or course, of a game.
Play was very slow in the first half.
- 4
The sphere or circumstance in which a playing implement, such as a ball, is played or available to be played (see also in play, out of play).
In potting the yellow ball, he's knocked the green into play.
- 5
An individual's performance in a sport or game.
His play has improved a lot this season.
- 6
A short sequence of action within a game.
That was a great play by the Mudchester Rovers forward.
- 7
An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.
- 8
A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
This book contains all of Shakespeare's plays.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate play?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of play: PP.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Play in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | jouer, s'amuser , jouer de , interpréter , jeu , pièce de théâtre |
| German | spielen, schpile (als) , Spiel , vorspielen, vormachen , Zug |
| Portuguese | jogar, brincar , tocar , jogo , fazer o papel, interpretar |
| Spanish | jugar, trebejar , tocar, tangir, tañer, sonar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.