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
The president has made a crackdown on crime in cities a centerpiece of his second term — and has toyed with the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to stop his opponents from using the courts to block his plans.
—
Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026
The president has made a crackdown on crime in cities a centerpiece of his second term -- and has toyed with the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to stop his opponents from using the courts to block his plans.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026
Someone is toying with the Charlotte Hornets’ master calendar.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Dec. 2025
The process will create space for new toys that might be more age-appropriate while also eliminating the clutter of toys with missing pieces and those that your children no longer gravitate toward.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
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Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026
The president has made a crackdown on crime in cities a centerpiece of his second term -- and has toyed with the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to stop his opponents from using the courts to block his plans.
—Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026
Someone is toying with the Charlotte Hornets’ master calendar.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Dec. 2025
The process will create space for new toys that might be more age-appropriate while also eliminating the clutter of toys with missing pieces and those that your children no longer gravitate toward.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toy with
Cite this Entry
“Toy with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toy%20with. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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