play along
Britishverb
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to cooperate (with), esp as a temporary measure
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(tr) to manipulate as if in a game, esp for one's own advantage
he played the widow along until she gave him her money
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.
And when people play along, they’ll start paying closer attention to the daily transactions, as they’re happening in the moment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Ayinde, a Nigerian businesswoman with British citizenship, said she been encouraged by the west African country's security services to "play along" with those in government who were asking her for bribes.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
So my thought was, “OK, I’m going to play along with this.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026
Analysts play along because it helps them maintain strong relationships with companies’ management.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
But that will only work if I play along with them.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
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.
