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
When one of his old enemies resurfaces and his daughter is abducted, the movie turns into a game of cat and mouse with car chases aplenty as well as the involvement of militias and mysterious organizations.
—
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
So there’s this kind of cat and mouse game that goes on.
—Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
Thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with a Coast Guard officer (James) in hot pursuit, the commander must outmaneuver blockades and navigate perilous threats both inside and outside the submarine.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Moretz plays Reeve LeClaire, who is haunted by the memory of teenage captivity at the hands of a sadist and fears a return to the nightmare when she is asked to mentor a survivor and gets pulled into a game of cat and mouse.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cat and mouse
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.
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
So there’s this kind of cat and mouse game that goes on.
—Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
Thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with a Coast Guard officer (James) in hot pursuit, the commander must outmaneuver blockades and navigate perilous threats both inside and outside the submarine.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Moretz plays Reeve LeClaire, who is haunted by the memory of teenage captivity at the hands of a sadist and fears a return to the nightmare when she is asked to mentor a survivor and gets pulled into a game of cat and mouse.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 July 2025
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 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share