play for laughs
idiom
: to act in a funny way that makes people laugh
She's fantastic in serious roles, but she also knows how to play for laughs.
Most performers would have taken a serious tone during the scene, but he decided to play it for laughs.
Examples of play for laughs in a Sentence
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Rogan may play for laughs on his podcast, but none of his Covid jokes are funny, a group of doctors argue.
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NBC News, 29 Apr. 2021
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NBC News, 29 Apr. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near play for laughs
Cite this Entry
“Play for laughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20for%20laughs. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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