1 B1 neutral
To continue playing a sport despite pain, injury, or difficulty.
"He played through a sprained ankle to finish the final quarter."
inseparable
play through
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To continue playing despite an obstacle, pain, or interruption, or in golf to pass through another group of players.
In plain English
To keep playing even when something is wrong, like being hurt, or to let someone go ahead of you in golf.
What does "play through" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
(Golf) To allow a faster group of players to pass ahead of your group on the course.
"The slow foursome stepped aside and waved us through to play through."
inseparable
3 B1 informal
(Gaming) To complete a video game or level from beginning to end.
"I played through the entire game in one weekend."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To play from one side through to the other end.
Actually means
To keep playing even when something is wrong, like being hurt, or to let someone go ahead of you in golf.
Usage tip
Very common in US sports contexts: an athlete 'plays through the pain.' Also used in gaming to mean completing an entire game from start to finish. In golf, 'play through' means one group lets another pass.
Words that pair with "play through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pain injury discomfort game round level
How to conjugate "play through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
play through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
plays through
he/she/it
Past simple
played through
yesterday
Past participle
played through
have + pp
-ing form
playing through
continuous
Hear "play through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "play through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.