as in to use
to take unfair advantage of
the candidate played on the voters' prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play (on or upon)
Verb
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Mangione handed arriving officers a fake New Jersey ID that was used at the New York City hostel days earlier and was subsequently arrested.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025 -
Start today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $67 (+taxes and fees) through May 13, 2025.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Diamondbacks stole five bases in four innings, exploiting Cabrera’s deliberate delivery to the plate.—
Isaac Azout,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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At Coachella, defaults are rare, but the $4 million fee haul shows promoters profit handsomely, raising ethical questions about exploiting fans’ FOMO.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Donald Trump is abusing the levers of government to launch an attack against New York Attorney General Tish James on what seem to be pretty flimsy claims of fraud.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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The ways in which these attackers have abused Google’s email system clearly needs to be patched.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Attorneys from the Downs Law Group, representing Gremillion and about 100 others in cases against BP, say the company leveraged procedural technicalities to block victims from getting their day in court.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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Advertise services on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor, distribute flyers at local pet stores, and leverage family connections for initial clients.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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It could be manipulated by the therapist or simply placed in the correct position by the individual.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
20 Apr. 2025
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This is not a new accusation and in the past Fauci and the paper authors disagreed with the accusations that the paper was manipulated or had any specific goal.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Play (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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