at play

idiom

: in the act of playing

the sounds of children at play

: being something that helps produce or influence a result

Several issues are at play in determining the price of gasoline.

Examples of at play in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Pundits debated the protocol of a senior national security officer being out of commission without the president or the public knowing, but another factor was at play. —

Taayoo Murray, Essence, 7 June 2024 In their rush to defend Clark, newcomers fail to see the historical, systemic issues at play and instead assume everyone is picking on their favorite player. —

Shakeia Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2024 However, experts said a couple of factors may be at play. —

Lauryn Higgins, Health, 4 June 2024 But despite whatever positives there may be to staying in place longer, the increasingly unaffordable cost of homeownership in today’s housing world is at play here. —

Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 31 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for at play

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'at play.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.