as in to use
to take unfair advantage of
the candidate played on the voters' prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play (on or upon)
Verb
-
Cousin, who is CEO of FSF Ventures, a nonprofit focused on sustainable food business models, believes investments like AI will help spur productivity in land already used for cultivation.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025 -
One post on the platform included a screenshot of a season 4 scene where Will uses a conversation about Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) to reveal his true feelings for Mike.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Fentanyl poisoners who harm and exploit others will be held accountable.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The outlet said it has long been alleged that Andrew exploited the role to gain personal access to wealthy individuals.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Duffy has said that air traffic controllers who abuse their sick time during the shutdown could be fired.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
He is accused of luring a young girl into his van parked in the church’s parking lot or to the church’s basement to abuse the girl over and over during a seven-year period, according to the release.—
Ryanne Mena,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
CEOs and experts have criticized universities for failing to keep up with the times; now that AI is here to stay, students had better be prepared to leverage it in their roles.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Giammetti’s business acumen across the decades helped build a global empire leveraging Garavani’s creative vision, starting from a casual meeting in Rome, at the end of July 1960, sharing a table in a bar on Via Veneto — where else?—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Because Atlas reads web pages, malicious websites can manipulate it by hiding instructions in their code – a technique called prompt injection.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Young’s ability to manipulate the pocket with his quickness and improvisational skills has helped keep the Panthers’ sack count low.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Play (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share