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
While a sequel may not be confirmed just yet, this isn’t the first time Seinfeld has toyed with the possibility of a live-action Bee Movie.
—
Jack Smart, People.com, 12 June 2025
Several are toying with the idea of formally taking more power from the mayor in permanent ways.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Ovechkin had 14 goals in the 21 games before Boudreau took over, but the new system and freedom from his coach unlocked an offensive force unlike anything the league had seen since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr toyed with defenses in 1995-96.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 8 June 2025
Staffers toyed with keeping the oysters in their dockside cages, and waiting to plant them at the fort, a manmade island fortress that never saw battle, but has become a sanctuary for cormorants, gulls and other seabirds.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
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Jack Smart, People.com, 12 June 2025
Several are toying with the idea of formally taking more power from the mayor in permanent ways.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Ovechkin had 14 goals in the 21 games before Boudreau took over, but the new system and freedom from his coach unlocked an offensive force unlike anything the league had seen since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr toyed with defenses in 1995-96.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 8 June 2025
Staffers toyed with keeping the oysters in their dockside cages, and waiting to plant them at the fort, a manmade island fortress that never saw battle, but has become a sanctuary for cormorants, gulls and other seabirds.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 24 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 18 Jun. 2025.
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