trifled

VERB

toy with; mess around

Synonyms

STRONG

coquet dabble dally dawdle dilly-dally doodle fidget flirt fool fritter idle loiter lollygag lounge misuse monkey palter philander play potter putter squander toy twiddle wanton waste

WEAK

amuse oneself be insincere fool around fool with fribble futz around horse around indulge in lead on mess with monkey with play games with play with string along use up waste time wink at

Antonyms

STRONG

hasten hoard hurry push rush save work

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.

See Examples For:

trifled

Still, it “proves what the Chinese and everyone else are saying—these are capable things and they are not to be trifled with,” said Brendan Mulvaney, director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute, a U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025

This powerful wave is not to be trifled with, and in the event of an emergency, the staff can turn it off instantly.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 28, 2023

From eating holes in people's brains to generating nasty tumors to putting folks in comas, some fungi are not to be trifled with.

From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2023

Sleep is not to be trifled with; there is nothing low-stakes about it.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 16, 2023

“I am no one to be trifled with,” replied the man in black.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman