player
noun
play·er ˈplā-ər 
: one that plays: such as
a
: a person who plays a game
a baseball player
a chess player
She's one of the team's best players.
b
: a person who plays a musical instrument
a piano player
c
: actor
… what drew these audiences was the emergence of the movie star from the ranks of the wholly anonymous players of a decade earlier.
David Nasaw
David Nasaw d
: a device that reproduces recorded material (such as video images or music) from a usually specified medium
a CD player
e
: one actively involved especially in a competitive field or process : participant
a key player in politics
f
or less commonly playa, US slang : a person and especially a man who has many lovers
Handsome and a well-paid professional, Keith, 35, chose to be a player, juggling a series of relatively brief and sometimes over-lapping intimate relationships with women. Michel Marriott
Michel MarriottThis album has a lot of sexual references. It's almost like Bobby's … a playa. Elliott Wilson
Elliott WilsonNote: The variant playa is more common in transcribed speech.
Synonyms
- instrumentalist
- musician
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She's one of the team's best players. The band's lead guitar player hurt his hand and couldn't play. Piano players are called pianists.
Recent Examples on the Web Immediately afterward, the Dream Academy player can be seen falling to the floor. Antonio Planas, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 On Friday, Biden plans to speak at the White House with Cherelle Griner and with the player’s agent in one meeting and with Elizabeth Whelan in the other. Eric Tucker, Chron, 15 Sep. 2022 Perhaps the hottest player in the field is Arizona State University graduate James Leow, who steamrolled Evan Beck 8 & 7 to advance to the round of 16. Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 Talk turned to Gorham’s serious ambitions, and how Byredo would now become a major player in the luxury beauty space. Celia Ellenberg, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2022 Griner, the famous WNBA player, was arrested in February on drug charges and sentences to nine years in prison. ABC News, 15 Sep. 2022 The young chess player was also banned from Chess.com and uninvited from the Global Championship, according to the Guardian. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 15 Sep. 2022 Both Louisville and Kentucky are pursuing combo guard DJ Wagner, the No. 1 player in the country in the high school class of 2023 according to 247Sports Composite. Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 15 Sep. 2022 On Friday, Biden plans to speak at the White House with Cherelle Griner and with the player's agent in one meeting and with Elizabeth Whelan in the other, according to the official. Eric Tucker, ajc, 15 Sep. 2022 See More
Antonio Planas, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 On Friday, Biden plans to speak at the White House with Cherelle Griner and with the player’s agent in one meeting and with Elizabeth Whelan in the other. Eric Tucker, Chron, 15 Sep. 2022 Perhaps the hottest player in the field is Arizona State University graduate James Leow, who steamrolled Evan Beck 8 & 7 to advance to the round of 16. Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 Talk turned to Gorham’s serious ambitions, and how Byredo would now become a major player in the luxury beauty space. Celia Ellenberg, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2022 Griner, the famous WNBA player, was arrested in February on drug charges and sentences to nine years in prison. ABC News, 15 Sep. 2022 The young chess player was also banned from Chess.com and uninvited from the Global Championship, according to the Guardian. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 15 Sep. 2022 Both Louisville and Kentucky are pursuing combo guard DJ Wagner, the No. 1 player in the country in the high school class of 2023 according to 247Sports Composite. Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 15 Sep. 2022 On Friday, Biden plans to speak at the White House with Cherelle Griner and with the player's agent in one meeting and with Elizabeth Whelan in the other, according to the official. Eric Tucker, ajc, 15 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing player
Kids Definition
player
noun
play·er ˈplā-ər
1
: a person who participates in a game
2
: a person who produces sound on a musical instrument
3
: a device that reproduces sounds or video images that have been recorded (as on magnetic tape or a hard drive)
player
noun
1
as in instrumentalist
a person who plays a musical instrument a horn player Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- instrumentalist
- musician
- artist
- performer
- soloist
- virtuoso
- organist
- violinist
- drummer
- guitarist
- pianist
- saxophonist
- minstrel
- keyboardist
- maestro
- recitalist
- picker
- flutist
- percussionist
- symphonist
- trombonist
- clarinetist
- harpist
- hornist
- clarinettist
- trumpeter
- bassoonist
- flautist
- accompanist
- oboist
- accordionist
- fiddler
- violist
- cornettist
- cornetist
- piper
- reedman
- organ-grinder
2
as in actor
one who acts professionally (as in a play, movie, or television show) a troupe of players used to give performances on the town green Synonyms & Similar Words
- actor
- performer
- actress
- entertainer
- thespian
- star
- impersonator
- trouper
- comedian
- enactor
- starlet
- mummer
- thesp
- coactor
- double
- leading man
- personator
- leading lady
- walk-on
- spear-carrier
- lead
- supernumerary
- poser
- extra
- barnstormer
- prima donna
- understudy
- monologuist
- costar
- mime
- stooge
- imitator
- clown
- farceur
- buffoon
- masquerader
- tragedian
- impressionist
- monologist
- tragedienne
- mimic
- scene-stealer
- pantomime
- pantomimist
- harlequin
- ape
- aper
- masker
- ham
- zany
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonactor
3
as in participant
one who takes part in something a significant player in the negotiations Synonyms & Similar Words
- participant
- participator
- actor
- partner
- sharer
- party
- assistant
- partaker
- accessory
- aide
- helper
- colleague
- accessary
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- spectator
- observer
- nonparticipant
- bystander
- watcher
- onlooker
- wallflower
- looker-on