cat and mouse
noun
: behavior like that of a cat with a mouse: such as
a
: the act of toying with or tormenting something before destroying it
b
: a contrived action involving constant pursuit, near captures, and repeated escapes
played a game of cat and mouse with the police
broadly
: an evasive action
Examples of cat and mouse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In her latest Netflix action effort, Theron plays a woman who sets off on a trip to Australia to soothe her grief but unwittingly crosses paths with Egerton’s unnerving hunter, who forces her into a game of cat and mouse.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
In the film, Theron plays Sasha, a grieving woman seeking solace in the Australian wilderness only to become caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a serial killer (Taron Egerton).
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
There’s a real game of cat and mouse happening as the documentarian delves into Michaels’ past, charts his numerous career highs (and one major low), and follows him around during the intimate process of putting together a typical SNL episode.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
While the two play cat and mouse, an insidious supervillain in Kenneth Branagh looms overhead, threatening to take Jordan down.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cat and mouse
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Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
In the film, Theron plays Sasha, a grieving woman seeking solace in the Australian wilderness only to become caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a serial killer (Taron Egerton).
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
There’s a real game of cat and mouse happening as the documentarian delves into Michaels’ past, charts his numerous career highs (and one major low), and follows him around during the intimate process of putting together a typical SNL episode.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
While the two play cat and mouse, an insidious supervillain in Kenneth Branagh looms overhead, threatening to take Jordan down.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cat and mouse
Cite this Entry
“Cat and mouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat%20and%20mouse. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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