stringing along

verb

present participle of string along
as in deceiving
to cause to believe what is untrue the student succeeded in stringing even his teachers along with his tales of family hardships

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stringing along Sure enough, Dick took off with the other packhorses stringing along behind him. — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stringing along
  1. deceiving
  2. tricking
  3. fooling
  4. sucking in
  5. having on
  6. taking in
  7. faking out
  8. kidding
Verb
  • Williams will not be charged because Heggebo’s offence was successfully deceiving a match official.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Your eyes aren't deceiving you — the little delivery robots rolling down Washington DC streets are becoming a more common sight.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceiving
Verb
  • An English springer spaniel in Alabama loves nothing more than spending her whole day in the pool and has taken to tricking her parents into letting her into the pool every day.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • In many cases, the robot tail wags the living dog by tricking it—tricking us—into caring about obscure metrics, then gamifying the process of improving them.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of tricking
Verb
  • In the highlight, Marshall retrieves the ball and oddly fires it back to the infield, fooling no one.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Anybody hoping that a Netanyahu defeat in October and the emergence of a less controversial successor will reset the table is likely fooling themselves.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fooling
Verb
  • Grow up and start worrying more about not sucking in Yankee Stadium.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • However, while there may be no blood sucking in this particular novel, that doesn’t mean that the adaptation doesn’t have Rice’s trademark sensuality.
    — Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 12 Nov. 2025
Definition of sucking in
Verb
  • Yet despite some positive results, both economists and on-the-ground workers are calling attention to the negative impact AI is already having on the labor market.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The conversations that high-level leaders are having on a daily basis are less about tasks and execution and more about the capacity of their workforce.
    — Laura Weldy, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of having on
Verb
  • Brandon Aubrey might be the only kicker worth taking in Round 11 or 12.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Two rows back sat Charlie Kirk’s father, who was bent forward, and mother, who wasn’t reacting physically but taking in what the judge was saying.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of taking in
Verb
  • In the 80th minute, Denkey received an assist from Ender Echenique, faking out goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos before finishing with his left foot between a pair of defenders.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Among the highlights was Dart taking off in the first quarter, faking out several Eagles defenders, and running to the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown.
    — Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of faking out
Verb
  • But Guthrie wasn’t kidding, slipping into a yellow gingham dress before joining her co-hosts on the Today Show Plaza to greet visitors.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • Just kidding, but seeing Angela’s team sweep Shamea’s at the Bailey Bowl basketball tournament was almost as satisfying as knowing Charles got to witness his former team’s historic win in person.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 22 June 2026
Definition of kidding

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stringing
stringing along
strings
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Cite this Entry

“Stringing along.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stringing%20along. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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