play host to

idiomatic phrase

: to serve as a host for (someone or something)
Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.
As travel to the Third World has expanded, so, too, has concern about the damage wrought by mass tourism on the people and places that play host to wandering North Americans and Europeans.Ira Silver
St. John's meets No. 3-ranked Duke and the Big East rival Miami on the road, and will play host to No. 4 Syracuse, No. 13 Connecticut and surging Seton Hall at the Garden.Jon Drape
The grasslands play host to [=provide a home for] long-billed curlews and sage grouse, and eagles, osprey and coyotes scavenge the area.Kay Clark

Examples of play host to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In May, the church played host to Sean Feucht, the political activist and Christian nationalist worship leader who held large gatherings during Covid-19. David Gilbert, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024 Down ballot, the 2nd Congressional District also plays host to one of the nation's closest congressional races, which pits incumbent Democratic Rep. Jared Golden against Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault. Abc News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 In 2024, the storied track again played host to a stunning drive and a back-to-back Brazil Grand Prix victory for the Dutchman, one that may have helped boost his championship run. Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 The city played host to the splashy Creative Cities Convention earlier this year where its merits were talked up by talent including Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning and Big Talk boss Kenton Allen. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for play host to 

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play host to was in 1837

Cite this Entry

“Play host to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20host%20to. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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