TOYING Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

toying

verb

present participle of toy

as in playing

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

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

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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toying

Verb

But camp is about more than just a wide receiver playing well.

— Chad Graff, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Carys made her professional stage debut in June, playing Nina in Anton Chekhov’s tragicomedy The Seagull in Brooklyn.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of playing

Verb

What began as a more faithful attempt at recreating Shakespearean verse gradually evolved as the team tried to figure out how to make something that spoke to then-contemporary anxieties.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026
The Minecraft video game is an exceedingly popular title amongst kids of all ages, and the card game does a great job of recreating the video game experience.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026