as in exploited
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
played upon the customer's vanity to convince her to buy the expensive makeup kit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played (upon)
Verb
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The other half want the colorful creatures protected and even exploited to boost tourism in the area.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026 -
The suit, which exposed how liability laws can be exploited, may have been eye-opening for the public.—
Greg Hodgen,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors allege Saab and his associates manipulated the program through overpriced contracts and international financial transactions designed to conceal illicit proceeds.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
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Musk’s core claim was that the co-founders had manipulated him into donating millions of dollars and eventually turned OpenAI into a for-profit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Played (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20%28upon%29. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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