play to

verb

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

“to play to the crowd”

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Meanings

verbplay to (third-person singular simple present plays to, present participle playing to, simple past and past participle played to)

present singular third person plays to · participle present playing to · participle past played to · past played to

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

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

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

    He played to his strengths tonight.

    1 more example

    The advertisement plays to people's fears about cancer.

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

    to play to the crowd

    1 more example

    to play to the cameras

Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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