play dead
Americanverb (used without object)
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to pretend to be dead or defeated, such as by lying very still.
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to give up and refuse to take action on a situation.
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.
Experts say that, in these situations, it is best to lie down and play dead.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
And if you had any other ideas about giving them the slip, wasps will not be fooled by anyone trying to "play dead" said Debugged, a blog by pest control giant Rentokil.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2024
The advice is different with a smaller black bear: Don’t play dead.
From National Geographic ● Aug. 17, 2023
When threatened, smaller armadillos roll up in a ball and play dead.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 30, 2023
“Let’s just say the Grievers can play dead really well.”
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
