play dead

idiom

: to lie on one's back and pretend to be dead
She taught her dog to play dead.

Examples of play dead in a Sentence

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More likely, Congress will play dead again. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026 In the animal kingdom, mammals play dead so that a predator will lose interest in them; some female dragonflies do it to avoid mating. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025 The safety clearly didn't hear a whistle that had blown the play dead — hitting Lawrence from behind an instant after the QB had stopped moving and given up on the play. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025 Time to draw the curtains & play dead. Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for play dead

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“Play dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20dead. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.

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