Synonyms of toying

toying

verb

present participle of toy

1

as in playing

to engage in activity for amusement

the cat toyed with the mouse it had caught, batting it about

Synonyms & Similar Words

• playing
• recreating
• frolicking
• entertaining
• joking
• amusing
• sporting
• rollicking
• relaxing
• dallying
• dabbling
• delighting
• disporting
• cavorting
• teasing
• romping
• hanging
• pleasing
• resting
• skylarking
• frisking
• trifling
• diverting
• gamboling
• idling
• dawdling
• fiddling (around)
• jesting
• loafing
• screwing around
• lounging (around or about)
• puttering (around)
• messing around
• slacking (off)
• hanging about
• bumming (around)
• goldbricking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• working
• struggling
• laboring
• striving
• toiling
• sweating
• straining
• plodding
• plugging (away)
• slaving
• drudging

2

as in flirting

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

• flirting
• coquetting
• trifling
• messing around
• dallying
• frivoling
• teasing
• vamping
• wooing
• fooling
• courting
• mashing
• razzing
• kidding
• playing (with)
• ribbing
• manipulating
• joshing
• putting on
• leading on
• stringing along

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of toying

The formula is one of those shampoos formulated for a really great wash—delivering moisture and smoothing without toying too far into volumizing, densifying, or hair growth. — Ellie Davis, Vogue, 25 June 2026

The age-gap romance is one that Statsky said the writers have been toying around with for quite some time. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

The bill is the result of six years of studying and toying around the edges of PBM issues. — Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 9 Apr. 2025