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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The team used surrogate dogs -- since adopted through the humane society -- to help give birth to the dire wolves, which are white.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025 -
Prosecutors said Mahdi constantly used brutality to solve his problems.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 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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Authorities subsequently found that the boy and Ruby's 10-year-old daughter had been seriously abused.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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In May 2023, Attorney General Kwame Raoul published a 696-page report, which found that over about seven decades, at least 1,997 children have been abused by 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers across the state’s dioceses.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This data point suggests that farmers are still leveraging capital but are focusing more on operational costs versus land expansion.—
Artem Milinchuk,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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The Prime Minister’s address is expected to outline India’s roadmap for leveraging creative industries as key economic growth drivers.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In Season 4 of the Max comedy, Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels have manipulated their way into their respective dream jobs as host and head writer of a late-night talk show on network TV.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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This country is being manipulated by two people — and those too afraid to have the courage to oppose them.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 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 22 Apr. 2025.
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