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

Tarantino has toyed with a Kill Bill 3 off and on for years, with the movie potentially starring Uma Thurman and her daughter, Maya Hawke. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2025

As this unfolds, the NCAA is also toying with changing its longstanding policy that prohibits college athletes and staff members from betting on professional sports. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

However, the actress was toying with the idea of bangs, a familiar choice for those who’ve succumbed to the burgeoning bob trend in Hollywood such as Pamela Anderson, Zoë Kravitz and Ayo Edebiri. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025

That may explain why some allies such as former White House advisor Steve Bannon are pushing for an unconstitutional third term that the president has also toyed with at some points and downplayed at others. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025