Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com

play games with

VERB
dabble
Synonyms
STRONG
dally dilly-dally idle monkey play trifle
WEAK
amuse oneself with be amateur fiddle with flirt with horse around kid around mess around monkey around muck around not be serious play around toy with trifle with work superficially
Antonyms
WEAK
take seriously
VERB
dally
Synonyms
STRONG
boondoggle drag idle lag linger loiter lollygag procrastinate putter tarry trail
WEAK
fool around fool with fritter away hang about horse around jerk off play around put off trifle with waste time while away
Antonyms
STRONG
complete finish go hurry leave rush
WEAK
hasten push
VERB
hoax
Synonyms
STRONG
bamboozle bluff chicane con deceive delude dupe fleece flimflam fool frame gammon gull hoodwink murphy rook sting swindle
WEAK
fake out pull one's leg run a game on set up take for a ride take in
Antonyms
STRONG
be honest
VERB
trifle
Synonyms
STRONG
coquet dabble dally dawdle dilly-dally doodle fidget flirt fool fritter idle loiter lollygag lounge misuse monkey palter philander play potter putter squander toy twiddle wanton waste
WEAK
amuse oneself be insincere fool around fool with fribble futz around horse around indulge in lead on mess with monkey with play with string along use up waste time wink at
Antonyms
STRONG
hasten hoard hurry push rush save work

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Who says you can’t run around and play games with your friends just because you’re a “grown-up”?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

"Don't play games with a girl who can play better," she warns at the end of the preview.

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2023

Mr. Biden replied: “There are at least three. Don’t play games with me, kid.”

From New York Times • Jul. 4, 2023

The infrastructure that lets you play games with anyone across the world is inherently going to need more time to make sure that everyone’s synced up than two Xboxes lashed together.

From The Verge • Aug. 14, 2022

Though I was curious how long she would take to spot the error, Rosy was not about to play games with me.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "play games with" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com