as in exploits
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 plays (upon)
Verb
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If anything looks off, a professional inspection is a smart investment — far cheaper than an emergency roof repair after a storm exploits an existing weak spot.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026 -
While Big Tech exploits vulnerable Floridians, Florida’s lawmakers are taking action to prevent the costs of data centers from shifting to regular utility ratepayers, ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of everyday Floridians.—
Brendan Steinhauser,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Searching for inspiration for her next novel, Elise subtly manipulates the people closest to her like characters in a book.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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But is Duncan the devil who manipulates, lies and emotionally blackmails anyone in his orbit?—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Plays (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20%28upon%29. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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