trifle with
phrasal verb
trifled with; trifling with; trifles with
: to treat or deal with (someone or something) in a way that shows a lack of proper respect or seriousness
You shouldn't trifle with their feelings.
Examples of trifle with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
We’re entitled to take it personally when an ex-government official trifles with our safety and lives.
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WSJ, 16 June 2023
The playwright’s conceit is to portray living with the immunodeficiency virus as a facet of a satirical contest — as if a human’s health could be trifled with, laughed off.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
WSJ, 16 June 2023
The playwright’s conceit is to portray living with the immunodeficiency virus as a facet of a satirical contest — as if a human’s health could be trifled with, laughed off.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trifle with.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Trifle with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trifle%20with. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
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