cat and mouse
noun
: behavior like that of a cat with a mouse: such as
a
: the act of toying with or tormenting something before destroying it
b
: a contrived action involving constant pursuit, near captures, and repeated escapes
played a game of cat and mouse with the police
broadly
: an evasive action
Examples of cat and mouse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The electronic battlefield has now become a massive game of cat and mouse.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024
The new action film follows an undercover DEA agent and his partner in El Paso, Texas, on a game of cat and mouse with a group of thieves who just happen to be their rebellious teenagers robbing from a dangerous cartel and using their parents’ tactics and top-secret intel to succeed.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Apr. 2024
What unfolds is a game of political cat and mouse between the siblings, which Thomas is ill-equipped to win.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2024
Another Reddit poster suggests there may be a cat and mouse game behind the scenes as Google tightens up.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Clearly identifying what is or isn’t a deepfake is becoming a game of cat and mouse with developers improving the technology, Gorman said.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2024
The tale tests the bonds of friendship, and true feelings emerge as a cat and mouse game puts them all in grave danger.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2023
What followed was a game of cat and mouse—a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 15 Dec. 2023
In an escalating game of cat and mouse, her different choices lead to drastically different outcomes along the way.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2024
IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024
The new action film follows an undercover DEA agent and his partner in El Paso, Texas, on a game of cat and mouse with a group of thieves who just happen to be their rebellious teenagers robbing from a dangerous cartel and using their parents’ tactics and top-secret intel to succeed.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Apr. 2024
What unfolds is a game of political cat and mouse between the siblings, which Thomas is ill-equipped to win.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2024
Another Reddit poster suggests there may be a cat and mouse game behind the scenes as Google tightens up.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Clearly identifying what is or isn’t a deepfake is becoming a game of cat and mouse with developers improving the technology, Gorman said.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2024
The tale tests the bonds of friendship, and true feelings emerge as a cat and mouse game puts them all in grave danger.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2023
What followed was a game of cat and mouse—a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 15 Dec. 2023
In an escalating game of cat and mouse, her different choices lead to drastically different outcomes along the way.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cat and mouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1675, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cat and mouse
Cite this Entry
“Cat and mouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat%20and%20mouse. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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