toy with

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For her Netflix version, Smith Metzler tweaks the plot to toy with our unconscious ideas of upper-class power dynamics.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2025

Lionel Messi didn’t toy with defenders in the MLS Cup final.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 7, 2024

He was criticised for the way he tried to toy with Sri Lanka's bowlers in the third Test, some suggesting it was a sign of complacency.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2024

For the title track, which Booth wrote fresh from the demise of a five-year relationship, she wanted to toy with the expectations established by such a miserable framing.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2024

The cars toy with them, appearing now in front, now to the side, now behind, coming and going so quickly he can’t be sure if he saw them at all.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides