toy with

phrasal verb

toyed with; toying with; toys with

1

: to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously

I toyed with the idea of moving to France but ended up staying here.

2

: to move or touch (something) with one's fingers often without thinking

She toyed with her hair while she talked on the phone.

3

: to deal with or control (someone or something) in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way

Do you really love me, or are you just toying with me?

Don't toy with my emotions.

Examples of toy with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Across the board, Je Joue is known for making toys with deep vibrations that travel beyond the surface and into the sensitive erogenous tissues—and the Mio is no exception. —Gabrielle Kassel, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025

These are durable toys with a pleasing natural look. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025

Historically, patients started toying with the idea of a lower blepharoplasty around the age of 50, but Dr. Diamond says these conversations now generally begin as patients enter their 30s. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 4 Aug. 2025

In light of the recent conversations toying with the possibility of Maxwell receiving an incentive in exchange for her testimony, Giuffre’s family is imploring officials to not take the bait, while asking the Trump administration to maintain its promises of accountability and transparency. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025