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.
For years, wildlife experts advised people attacked by black bears to fight back, while recommending that anyone confronted by a much larger grizzly lie still 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
With grizzlies, avoid eye contact and play dead in the event of an attack.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 22, 2022
Grover had finally gotten the hang of fetch; now Ralph tried to teach him to play dead.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
