play (on or upon)

verb

Definition of play (on or upon)next
as in to use
to take unfair advantage of the candidate played on the voters' prejudices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for play (on or upon)
  1. use
  2. exploit
  3. abuse
  4. leverage
  5. manipulate
Verb
  • One bird tutor was then released into each group, so that the flock mates could learn to use one solution over another.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The groups’ American Electorate Voter Poll — using a larger Latino sample and additional techniques for polling Hispanics — flipped that outcome, with Harris winning 56% of Latino men to Trump’s 43%.
    Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Definition of use
Verb
  • Scientists are also trying to exploit the fungus’s sensitivity to temperature by building Bd-free habitats or moving frogs to locales where the fungus can’t survive.
    Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
  • Still, just last year, Chinese hackers exploited Microsoft security lapses to breach the email accounts of senior U.S. officials.
    Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 15 Nov. 2024
Definition of exploit
Verb
  • The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Corning for possibly abusing its market dominance in supplying its protective glass to electronics vendors.
    Michael Kan, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
  • In her old home, Sasha was abused and could not walk or clean herself properly.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of abuse
Verb
  • The company remains committed to navigating these challenges by leveraging its AI capabilities and strategic partnerships to drive growth and improve financial performance.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Here’s what happens if the recall results hold Supporters say this amendment would allow the city to leverage the best talent from the city’s diverse community.
    Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Definition of leverage
Verb
  • For another, the sheer number of disparate state and local jurisdictions that would need to be manipulated makes any attempt to steal an election much harder.
    Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Would a small child be able to manipulate controls, turn the machine on, skip tracks, or otherwise program the device without an adult’s help?
    Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024
Definition of manipulate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near play (on or upon)

play-offs

play (on or upon)

play out

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Play (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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