play coy
idiom
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
And unlike other fighters who might play coy, Wilder leaned straight into it.
—
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The band didn’t play coy about the political anger fueling the album with a title plucked right from the headlines, after the Supreme Court’s Bush vs. Gore coup of Dec. 12, 2000, blocking the state of Florida from counting its ballots and delivering the White House to the losing candidate.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
Travis Kelce tries to play coy when asked about recently visiting New York.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
It’s been three days since The Rehearsal’s season-two finale aired, so Nathan Fielder doesn’t need to play coy about his big secret any longer.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 28 May 2025
Olivia Rodrigo loves to play coy and tease her ex-beaus in her music.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Bailey and Cameron play coy when asked about this possibility, stumbling over their words.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024
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Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The band didn’t play coy about the political anger fueling the album with a title plucked right from the headlines, after the Supreme Court’s Bush vs. Gore coup of Dec. 12, 2000, blocking the state of Florida from counting its ballots and delivering the White House to the losing candidate.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
Travis Kelce tries to play coy when asked about recently visiting New York.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
It’s been three days since The Rehearsal’s season-two finale aired, so Nathan Fielder doesn’t need to play coy about his big secret any longer.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 28 May 2025
Olivia Rodrigo loves to play coy and tease her ex-beaus in her music.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Bailey and Cameron play coy when asked about this possibility, stumbling over their words.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Play coy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20coy. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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