player
gb/plˈeɪɚ/ us/plˈeɪɚ/
A2
English
~ 800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Person in a sport or game
Someone who plays a sport or game.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a player in [a sport/game]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'player' with 'gamer'; 'gamer' usually refers to video games, while 'player' applies more broadly to sports and games.
Synonyms
participant (More general; can refer to any activity, not just sports or games.)
Antonyms
spectator (Refers to someone who watches rather than takes part in the sport or game.)
Collocations
professional player
|team player
|star player
|key player
|chess player
Themes
sports
|games
|entertainment
Examples
- The player scored the winning goal in the last minute.
- Each player must follow the rules of the game.
- She is the youngest player on the basketball team.
- The coach praised every player for their effort.
- He is a skilled chess player.
Learner examples
- I am a player in the football team.
- The player runs fast.
- She is a good tennis player.
- He is the best player on our team.
- We need one more player to start the game.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Device for playing media
A machine or program that plays music or video.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a [type] player
Synonyms
media player (More technical term; often used for software applications.)
Antonyms
recorder (A device that captures rather than plays back audio or video.)
Collocations
DVD player
|music player
|MP3 player
|video player
Themes
technology
|media
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- I bought a new DVD player for the living room.
- This app is my favorite music player.
- The video player won't load the file.
- He connected his MP3 player to the car stereo.
Learner examples
- I have a DVD player at home.
- This is my music player.
- The video player is not working.
- He uses an MP3 player every day.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
3
Person with many casual relationships
A person who has many boyfriends or girlfriends and does not want to be serious with any of them.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a player
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'player' in sports; context usually makes the meaning clear.
Synonyms
womanizer (Specifically refers to a man who pursues many women romantically or sexually.)
Antonyms
faithful partner (Someone who stays committed to one romantic partner.)
Collocations
smooth player
|real player
Themes
relationships
|slang
|emotions
Examples
- He's such a player; he's dating three people at the same time.
- She warned me that he was a player and not to trust him.
- Don't fall for his charm—he's a real player.
Learner examples
- He is a player and dates many girls.
- She says her ex-boyfriend was a player.
- I don't want to be with a player.
Noun
B1
entity
4
Important participant in activity
A person or group that is important in some work or business.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is a major player in [field]
Synonyms
influencer (Has influence over others; often used for social media contexts.)
Antonyms
minor figure (Someone with little importance in the given context.)
Collocations
major player
|key player
Themes
business
|politics
|work
Examples
- The company is a major player in the tech industry.
- She has become a key player in local politics.
- Several new players have entered the market this year.
Learner examples
- He is a key player in our company.
- That firm is a big player in fashion.
- They are important players in this project.
Grammar
Dictionary form
player
IPA
GB/plˈeɪɚ/
US/plˈeɪɚ/
Syllables & stress
play - er (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (play)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: player
- Plural: players
Word family
Forms
players
noun
Core family
play
verb A1
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unplayable
adjective
Advanced or less common
Expressions
key player
1/kˈi plˈeɪɚ/
fixed phrase
Person with major role in activity/organization
An important person in a team or group who helps it succeed.
Examples
- He was a key player in the negotiations.
- She is a key player in our marketing team.
- Several key players were absent from the meeting.
- He was one of the key players in winning the championship.
play the field
1/plˈeɪ ðə fˈild/
idiom
informal
Date several people casually
To have romantic relationships with several people without serious commitment.
Examples
- He's not ready to settle down yet; he wants to play the field for a while.
- After his divorce, he decided to play the field for a while.
- She spent her twenties playing the field before meeting her husband.
- She's not ready to settle down yet, so she's playing the field.
team player
1/tˈim plˈeɪɚ/
fixed phrase
Person good at working in group
Someone who works well with other people in a group.
Examples
- She's not only talented but also a great team player.
- She's a real team player and always helps her colleagues.
- We need more team players in this department.
- In this job, you need to be a team player.