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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Sangha was one of five defendants charged in the case, which prosecutors described as a network of suppliers who exploited Perry’s addiction.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
26 Mar. 2026 -
But the Jayhawks have flaws that the Aztecs have exploited in previous wins.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The examples provided in the letter of events that could be easily manipulated by a single person included whether a kicker would miss a field goal, a quarterback’s first pass being incomplete or a receiver missing their first target.—
Jessica Golden,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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All the components of Ursa’s dishes are foraged or harvested in the desert and manipulated in surprising and experimental ways.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 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 1 Apr. 2026.
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