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
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
-
Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Suffice it to say that eventually the tale of childhood catches up with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer), a filmmaker, who attempts to make sense of her past and Jeremy’s fate by undertaking her own investigation, at several decades’ remove.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Between 2002 and 2003, the IRS flirted with building a free online filing system and then backed away, in part owing to private tax preparers that didn’t want to lose their grip on the process.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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If earlier installments flirted with spectacle as a form of survival, this trailer leans even harder into the media machinery backing this fascist government.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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They can be recreated at home for weeknight dinner, a fun way to get your kids involved in the kitchen or for a gathering with friends.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Through the push and pull of it all, the pair created scores of looks that are still being admired (and occasionally recreated by other royals) today.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Harrison Ford, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, has, over the course of more than 50 years in Hollywood, arguably entertained more people than anyone else, and inarguably become a living legend.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
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Panini originally entertained selling the company in 2025, which The Athletic chronicled in December.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toyed. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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