1 A2 informal
To have fun or behave in a silly, unserious way.
"The kids were playing about in the garden all afternoon, chasing each other with the hosepipe."
play about
B1 informal intransitive
To behave in a playful or unserious way; to experiment with something casually.
In plain English
To have fun or mess around; to try things out without being serious.
What does "play about" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To experiment or tinker with something casually.
"I've been playing about with the camera settings to try to get better night shots."
Usage tip
Primarily British English. Very close to 'play around'. Can be used of children playing without a specific purpose, or of adults experimenting informally with something (e.g. 'play about with the settings'). Sometimes implies wasting time, though less negatively than 'mess about'.
Words that pair with "play about"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
ideas settings words children garden friends
How to conjugate "play about"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
play about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
plays about
he/she/it
Past simple
played about
yesterday
Past participle
played about
have + pp
-ing form
playing about
continuous
Hear "play about" in the wild
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Other ways to say "play about"
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