1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement
the cat toyed with the mouse it had caught, batting it about
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
likes to toy with men whom she has no intention of actually dating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of toyed
The pair even toyed around with the idea of a potential collaboration.
—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Four years later — after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
Pat Graham,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.
—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Four years later — after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
Pat Graham,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.
—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toyed
Verb
-
When Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2024 NBA Finals, his two centers — Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford — were exceptional in their roles as lob threats, blocking shots and rolling to the rim.
-
The rivalry is so intense that overnight in Mexico, fans played instruments, sang, and made as much noise as possible outside the Ecuador team hotel to deprive the squad of sleep.
Verb
-
The most recent season also revealed that Wilson flirted with Miller throughout the summer, raising her hopes for a possible reconciliation, only to hook up with her best friend months later.
-
So was the back-and-forth between the Norwegian golfer and Scheffler, who briefly flirted with a 59 on Friday.
Verb
-
Higgins also recreated Zendaya’s iconic tennis ball heels from the Challengers press tour.
-
Shooting took place across Ho Chi Minh City and Orange County and Los Angeles, California, in April 2025, with the bulk of the wartime sequences captured on Vietnamese soil rather than recreated on a studio backlot abroad.
Verb
-
Mexico returned from halftime with great momentum in front of a crowd that had been entertained at halftime by the Mexican band Maná.
-
Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was a Jersey Shore landmark that entertained families for decades.
Cite this Entry
“Toyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toyed. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
