# play with sb/sth

CEFR A1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/play-with-sb-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To use something for fun, or to spend time with someone having fun.

For teachers: To engage in an activity with a person for amusement, or to use an object as part of a recreational activity; a transitive prepositional verb.

## Examples

- The children play with their new toys.
- After school, my son likes to play with his friends in the park until it gets dark.
- He would often play with the idea of leaving his corporate job, idly rearranging the fantasy in his mind without ever committing to it.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The cat is playing the ball of yarn." but "The cat is playing with the ball of yarn." — The verb 'play' needs the preposition 'with' when you mention the toy or object being used.

## Usage notes

- Often followed by a person (especially a child or friend), a pet, or an object like a toy or a ball.
- Teaching tip: Contrast the literal, positive sense ('play with a friend') with the negative figurative sense ('play with someone's emotions'), which means to treat them insincerely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.