play coy

phrase

US
: to avoid giving a direct or complete answer
When asked about his next book, he played coy.

Examples of play coy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The idea of a reunion has long been discussed, though the brothers often play coy. Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026 Lund doesn’t play coy with this obvious metaphor. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025 And unlike other fighters who might play coy, Wilder leaned straight into it. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Travis Kelce tries to play coy when asked about recently visiting New York. Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Olivia Rodrigo loves to play coy and tease her ex-beaus in her music. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play coy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20coy. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster