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
Last year’s fall 2024 rtw collection featured a surrealist approach to her designs, as Hearst toyed with fabric and elevated styles.
—
Julia Teti, WWD, 10 Mar. 2025
The men caress fruit, sometimes toying with a stem on their tongue.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
Lenovo is also toying with that idea through its Solar Power Kit attachment proof of concept.
—Ars Technica, 6 Mar. 2025
The Astros are toying with the possibility of moving second baseman Jose Altuve to left field, but haven’t committed to a full-fledged position change.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
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Julia Teti, WWD, 10 Mar. 2025
The men caress fruit, sometimes toying with a stem on their tongue.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
Lenovo is also toying with that idea through its Solar Power Kit attachment proof of concept.
—Ars Technica, 6 Mar. 2025
The Astros are toying with the possibility of moving second baseman Jose Altuve to left field, but haven’t committed to a full-fledged position change.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 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 25 Mar. 2025.
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