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
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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
Four years later — after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—
Pat Graham, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
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
Pat Graham, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toyed
Verb
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In addition, the Urban Summit played a leading role in the special election to recall former Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr.—
Freddrell Green,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
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While the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy are remembered each year, Museum officials said the women on the home front played an essential role in making Allied victory possible.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
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For a long time, the two of them were just friends who co-parented and occasionally flirted, letting things evolve naturally instead of putting the relationship in a pressure cooker, Charlotte-style, or eschewing all intimacy à la Samantha.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
3 June 2026
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The pop star has flirted with the idea of performing on the Main Stem before.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Those capabilities were not built overnight and cannot be recreated overnight.—
Krutika Kuppalli,
STAT,
5 June 2026
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The routines her daughter relies on — seeing the same faculty members, following the same schedule, riding the same bus with the same students — cannot be easily recreated somewhere else.—
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Turn mealtime into braintime with this interactive puzzle toy that keeps dogs engaged, entertained and mentally stimulated.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
25 May 2026
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The couple reportedly entertained famous friends there.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toyed. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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