at play

prepositional phrase

Playing, in the process of playing.

“There are children at play in the street.”

Similar
at work
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. Playing, in the process of playing.

    There are children at play in the street.

  2. figurativelyIn action.

    Another opposition force at play is the Move Forward party – hugely popular among young Thais for its radical reform agenda.

    2023 May 14, Heather Chen, Kocha Olarn, “Polls close in Thailand as opposition takes on kingdom’s conservative cliques”, in CNN

    Synonyms: at work

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseIn action.

Similar
at work
Also see
afootin action
Cite this entry
APA

at play. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20play

MLA

“at play.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20play. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at play,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20play.

Source: at play on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.