What does "player" mean?
One that plays.
Player
/ˈpleɪɚ/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One that plays.
- Grammar: player is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: participant, actor, actor, actors.
- Useful contrasts: audience member, bookmakers, caddie.
- Usage evidence: Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit.
How to use "player"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "player" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "player" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "player" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "player" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "player" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "participant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "player", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One that plays.
"He is an avid Minecraft player."
- 2 a theatrical performer wordnet
- 3 One that plays.; One who plays any game or sport.
"He is a player for the Australian team."
- 4 someone who plays a music as a profession wordnet
- 5 One that plays.; An actor in a dramatic play.
"All the world's a ſtage, / And all the men and women, merely Players"
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 someone who takes part in an activity wordnet
- 7 One that plays.; One who plays on a musical instrument.
- 8 a person who participates in or is skilled at some game wordnet
- 9 One that plays.; A gamer; a person of video games or similar.
- 10 a person who pursues a number of different social and sexual partners simultaneously wordnet
- 11 One that plays.; A gambler.
- 12 One that plays.; A mechanism that actuates a player piano or other automatic musical instrument. historical
"But up to this time the application of the player mechanism had been confined to reed instruments, the piano manufacturers having successfully resisted the introduction of the player mechanism into the piano; but, in the meantime, the manufacturers of players had grown strong and the manufacturers were beginning to properly interpret the handwriting on the wall"
- 13 One that plays.; An electronic device that plays audio or video media.
"Is your CD player broken, or is this one disc damaged?"
- 14 One that plays.; A software application that plays audio or video media, such as a media player.
- 15 One who is playful; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler.
- 16 A participant; one involved in something.
"He thought he could become a player, at least at the state level."
- 17 A participant; one involved in something.; One who participates in a particular type of sexual play.
"In this space we explored lesbian sadomasochism, met other S/M women who were serious players, had access to safe equipment and, through watching other women, learned new techniques."
- 18 A person who plays the field rather than having a long-term sexual relationship. informal
"Thunder only happens when it’s rainin’ / Players only love you when they’re playin’ / Say women, they will come and they will go / When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation for a sportsman.
Antonyms
Example
"Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "player"?
Common synonyms include: participant, actor, actor, actors, actress, adventurer.
How do you use "player" in a sentence?
Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit.
How do you pronounce "player"?
Pronounced /ˈpleɪɚ/.
Etymology
From Middle English pleyer, playere, from Old English pleġere (“player, athlete, wrestler”), from Proto-West Germanic *plegārī. Equivalent to play + -er.