as in used
to take unfair advantage of
the candidate played on the voters' prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played (on or upon)
Verb
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Video refereeing was used 39 times on the first day of the season, with one red card being corrected and three goals disallowed for offside.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025 -
The Broncos used big play after big play to amass a silly-sounding 637 yards of offense and consistently thrill the Albertsons Stadium crowd of 32,887 — officially the ninth home sellout in a row.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Critics warn that such emotional connections could be exploited commercially, turning intimacy into a product.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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Google has issued a critical warning for all Android users, confirming that two separate vulnerabilities have been exploited in the wild.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trump contends blue slips are being abused as a tool of partisan obstruction.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
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To an aspiring autocrat, power exists so that it can be abused.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His firm leveraged these credits as well as presales and distribution rights in pursuit of profit.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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For this expression, Buzzard’s Roost leveraged its proprietary double oak approach to craft a bourbon that pairs perfectly with both a fine cigar and as an exceptional stand-alone pour.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the area there are multiple objects that can be manipulated to cause a distraction — a feature that will be very familiar to fans of the IO Interactive’s Hitman series.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
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But all of it had been manipulated.—
Felipe Schrieberg,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Played (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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