toy with
phrasal verb
toyed with; toying with; toys with
1
: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously
I toyed with the idea of moving to France but ended up staying here.
2
: to move or touch (something) with one's fingers often without thinking
She toyed with her hair while she talked on the phone.
3
: to deal with or control (someone or something) in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way
Do you really love me, or are you just toying with me?
Don't toy with my emotions.
Examples of toy with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Valdez delivered perhaps the most dominant start of his major-league career, toying with Tampa’s aggressive lineup across nine incredible innings of a 2-1 win.
—
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 May 2025
New York New York has been toying with climate risk disclosure requirements for years.
—Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The yo-yoing import tariffs imposed by President Trump have been toying with the massive twin-engine economies of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
But unlike Zelensky, Carney comes to Washington as the leader of a much closer ally—but one that Trump has openly toyed with.
—Nik Popli, Time, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
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Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 May 2025
New York New York has been toying with climate risk disclosure requirements for years.
—Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The yo-yoing import tariffs imposed by President Trump have been toying with the massive twin-engine economies of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
But unlike Zelensky, Carney comes to Washington as the leader of a much closer ally—but one that Trump has openly toyed with.
—Nik Popli, Time, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
Cite this Entry
“Toy with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toy%20with. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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