1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement
the cat toyed with the mouse it had caught, batting it about
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
likes to toy with men whom she has no intention of actually dating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toyed
Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toyed
Verb
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Trojans add two to special teams Long snapper Dylan Black and punter Lachlan Carrigan, both of whom played for Memphis last season, each committed to USC out of the transfer portal, rounding out the Trojans’ special teams unit.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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Werner has 24 goals in 57 games for the German national team and played in the 2018 World Cup.—
Mercury News,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Coach Jason Kidd flirted with the idea of leaving to coach the New York Knicks before Dallas blocked him and gave him an extension.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The artist increasingly flirted with androgyny throughout his career.—
Alex Heigl,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the celebration doesn’t end there as the spirit of the Big Easy will be recreated on the streets of Universal Studios Florida for the Mardi Gras parade.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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For the film’s period scenes, designers painstakingly recreated the home’s first and second floors in a studio, including backdrops that wrapped around the replica windows to reflect the exterior view of the times.—
Eve Batey,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), Mirren played Georgia, the wife of crime boss Albert Spica (Michael Gambon), who comes to La Hollandaise to be entertained every night.—
Diane J. Cho,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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First opened in 1994, Atlantis set the tone for mega-resorts for travelers seeking the comforts of full service experience, alongside a myriad of ways to keep kids entertained.—
Kristin Braswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toyed. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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