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.
It’s this exposé of societal absurdity and Meursault’s atheistic refusal to play along with pacifying notions of sin and redemption, that makes“The Stranger” a pinnacle of confrontational literature.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
Analysts play along because it helps them maintain strong relationships with companies’ management.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
The anonymity allowed viewers at home to play along for the first time, to see if they would fare any better than the faithful at spotting a traitor.
From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026
Michelle gamely tries to play along, pretending she’s an alien.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025
James nodded slowly, trying to play along with Emily but unsure what she was planning.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
