cat and mouse

noun

: behavior like that of a cat with a mouse: such as

: the act of toying with or tormenting something before destroying it

: a contrived action involving constant pursuit, near captures, and repeated escapes

played a game of cat and mouse with the police

broadly : an evasive action

Examples of cat and mouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

But catching threats this way is like a game of cat and mouse, except the chase is endless, as the speed at which new malicious domains emerge can be overwhelming. —

Ed Gibbs, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 Michael Fassbender is playing a game of cat and mouse on an international scale. —

Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2024 These games of cat and mouse were the reason to keep playing, even when Friday the 13th seemed hellbent — through clunky controls or catastrophic connection failures or the empowerment of trash-talkers — on driving you away. —

A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024 Barkin plays a prime suspect who also becomes Pacino's lover, leading to a dangerously erotic game of cat and mouse. —

Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cat and mouse

Word History

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cat and mouse was in 1675

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cat and mouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat%20and%20mouse. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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