as in used
to take unfair advantage of
the candidate played on the voters' prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played (on or upon)
Verb
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These ingredients are used in Ana Mandara’s farm-to-table meals, spa products, and custom fragrances.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026 -
In 2017, detectives used DNA samples preserved from Walls' body and the area in which she was found to create an image of a person of interest, according to The Virginian-Pilot.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The other half want the colorful creatures protected and even exploited to boost tourism in the area.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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The suit, which exposed how liability laws can be exploited, may have been eye-opening for the public.—
Greg Hodgen,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Roza — a woman testifying under her first name — was an aspiring model from Uzbekistan when Epstein abused her in 2009, after the plea deal and while he was supposed to be under house arrest.—
Claire Healy,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
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Cook was labeled a vexatious litigant in 2018 until the Idaho Supreme Court in 2021 reversed the case, finding that the court abused its discretion.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Research has suggested that women in modern China have leveraged their relative scarcity, becoming more likely to marry up.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
19 May 2026
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The foundation has leveraged Colossal’s tech to partner with Save the Elephants and use AI and drones to monitor populations in the wild.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors allege Saab and his associates manipulated the program through overpriced contracts and international financial transactions designed to conceal illicit proceeds.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
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Musk’s core claim was that the co-founders had manipulated him into donating millions of dollars and eventually turned OpenAI into a for-profit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Played (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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