Play
Play noun - A theatrical performance of a drama.
Usage example: the play lasted two hours
Show is a synonym for play in performance topic. In some cases you can use "Show" instead the word "Play" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like event, art, production, drama.
Show
Show noun - An outward and often exaggerated indication of something abstract (as a feeling) for effect.
Play is a synonym for show in entertainment topic. You can use "Play" instead the word "Show" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as performance, event, art, performing arts.
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| old | old play | old show |
| good | good play | good show |
| full | full play | full show |
| normal | normal play | normal show |
| Other adjectives: original, single, popular, actual, entire, real, great, little, main, new, final, fictional, next, last, said, previous, eponymous. | ||
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
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Gina from Season 11 is almost comparable to Raj, with antics such as having her bring a puppet to the show and play with it as opposed to studying for the first night in Hell's Kitchen.
Source: Series / Hell's Kitchen - In the first two seasons of the series, the show looked like an odd hybrid of a radio show and a stage play.
Source: Radio / The Burns and Allen Show -
Having previously promised not to ruin the show, Locke attempts to play the battle as part of the performance (although he turns out to be a hilariously bad actor).
Source: All Part of the Show
Cite this Source
Show and Play. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/play/show
Play & Show. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/play/show>.
Show or Play. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/play/show.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "play" and "show" have occurred on timeline