play along
Britishverb
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to cooperate (with), esp as a temporary measure
-
(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.
Let’s play along with the former for the sake of the cast, who are deeply committed, to their own peril.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The Alaska Supreme Court decided to play along last week, ruling that officials can’t bar “Decoy Dan” from the ballot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Analysts play along because it helps them maintain strong relationships with companies’ management.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
“Tony doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and he won’t play along with the kind of thing where you hang out with the right industry people,” says Hues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
I knew there was a point to this story, so I figured I'd better play along to get to it.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
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.
