playground
- 01 A1 Beginner
an outdoor area where children can play, often with equipment like swings and slides.
an outdoor area designated for children's recreation, typically equipped with structures such as slides, swings, and climbing frames.
Simple“The children ran straight to the playground to play on the swings after school.”
In context“The local council invested in a modern playground featuring rubberised safety flooring and inclusive equipment for children of all abilities.”
Synonymsplay areapark - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a place or situation where people can do what they want and have fun.
a metaphorical space or region where a particular group has the freedom to act or enjoy themselves without restriction.
Simple“The tropical island has become a playground for wealthy tourists.”
In context“During the tech boom, the city served as a playground for ambitious entrepreneurs looking to disrupt traditional industries.”
Teacher's tipOften used with a possessive, such as 'a playground for the rich'.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a safe digital space where you can write and test code without breaking anything.
a development environment or sandbox that allows programmers to execute code and test API calls in isolation.
Simple“I used the online playground to practice my JavaScript before adding it to my website.”
In context“The platform provides a dedicated playground where developers can experiment with new API endpoints before deploying their applications to production.”
UsageOften used in the context of web development or learning a new programming language.
SynonymssandboxtestbedAntonyms
From play + ground. Compare Middle English playstede (“playground”) from Old English pleġstede.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.