1
as in plays
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 flirts
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
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Recent Examples of toys
Here, Matcha Milk toys the line between sweet and earthy, blending macadamia milk and vanilla with black tea and matcha accord.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toys
Verb
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Hsu plays Joy, a morose daughter of two Chinese immigrants.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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When the Heat plays Herro and Powell together, Miami has been outscored by 26 points in 249 minutes this season.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While waiting for flights to resume, Charli’s character Bethany flirts with the idea of blowing up her life by rekindling a romance with an old friend who owns a flower shop in Warsaw.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
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Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The backdrop is hazmat yellow, and in a touch that’s as subtle as a propaganda poster, one wrist sports a smartwatch displaying the rainbow flag.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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Friocenter Pescados spokesman Danillo Souza Alves was quick to point out that tambaqui sports a far higher meat-to-bone ratio on its ribs than pork.—
J.m. Hirsch,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toys. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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