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
John and Shears were both longtime Tammy fans, and had been toying with the idea of a musical for years.
—
Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024
Even major New York City office owners like SL Green and RXR are toying with the idea of repurposing part of their portfolio.
—Shimon Shkury, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Range bound the past six months, silver is now toying with the prospect of an important breakout: up and out of the range in which it’s been mired.
—Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024
Durable, age-appropriate, and easy-to-use toys with different colors, textures, and sounds can engage toddlers in play and support common toddler milestones like walking, talking, and more.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 12 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toy with 
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Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024
Even major New York City office owners like SL Green and RXR are toying with the idea of repurposing part of their portfolio.
—Shimon Shkury, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Range bound the past six months, silver is now toying with the prospect of an important breakout: up and out of the range in which it’s been mired.
—Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024
Durable, age-appropriate, and easy-to-use toys with different colors, textures, and sounds can engage toddlers in play and support common toddler milestones like walking, talking, and more.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 12 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toy with
Dictionary Entries Near toy with
Cite this Entry
“Toy with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toy%20with. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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