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

Baseball is steeped in statistical tradition that, if trifled with, could impact what the vast majority of its fans still view as important. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026

Congress used to debate authorizing such things, but with the GOP House and Senate now reduced to glorified White House staff offices, Trump need not trifle with such annoyances. —Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026

As a successful businesswoman and the wealthiest woman in Edgewater, Miranda is a woman who is not to be trifled with. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025

Condon brings a real toughness to Kate, though — someone smart enough and tough enough not to be trifled with. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 25 June 2025

Gas leaks, Westland’s fire chief said, are nothing to trifle with. —Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 6 May 2025

Advertisement Advertisement Unbeknownst to Hyo-man, Si-eun is not someone to be trifled with. —Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Apr. 2025

And yet, successions are nothing to trifle with, not least when the whole world is observing every move the company makes with a keen eye. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe. —Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025