The phrase play upon refers to manipulating or exploiting a person’s emotions, weaknesses, or beliefs to achieve a desired outcome, often in a subtle or underhanded way. It suggests taking advantage of someone’s vulnerabilities or emotions, such as fear, sympathy, or pride, to control or influence their decisions. Playing upon someone’s feelings involves strategically pushing their buttons to manipulate their behavior or perception, typically for personal gain or advantage. This phrase is often used when describing actions that involve psychological manipulation rather than overt force or coercion.
Example Sentences Using Play upon (manipulate):
- The politician played upon the fears of the voters to gain support for his controversial policies.
- She played upon his sense of guilt to convince him to do something he wasn’t comfortable with.
- He was a skilled manipulator, always able to play upon people’s insecurities to get what he wanted.
- The actor played upon the audience’s emotions, drawing them into the character’s struggle.
- He played upon her loneliness, pretending to be the perfect companion, just to get something in return.
- She played upon his sense of duty to make him feel responsible for something that wasn’t his fault.
- They played upon the crowd’s anger to incite a riot during the protest.
- He played upon her desire for approval, manipulating her actions to align with his agenda.
- She played upon their sympathy, making them believe she was in a dire situation just to gain their help.
- The con artist played upon his trust, convincing him to invest in a fake opportunity.
Synonyms for Play upon (manipulate):
- Manipulate
- Exploit
- Control
- Use
- Trick
- Deceive
- Influence
- Sway
- Coerce
- Pull the strings
Antonyms for Play upon (manipulate):
- Empower
- Support
- Help
- Guide
- Encourage
- Respect
- Aid
- Value
- Honor
- Promote
Related Words:
- Manipulation
- Exploitation
- Deception
- Influence
- Control
- Coercion
- Persuasion
- Sway
- Trickery
- Emotional blackmail
Phrasal Verbs:
- Play on (e.g., She played on his fears of rejection to get him to act against his own interests.)
- Play to (e.g., He played to the audience’s sympathy to gain their favor.)
- Play up to (e.g., She played up to her boss, flattering him to get ahead in her career.)
- Play with (e.g., He liked to play with people’s emotions to see how far he could push them.)
- Work on (e.g., He worked on her insecurities to convince her to make a decision she would later regret.)
Idiomatic Expressions:
- “Push someone’s buttons” (to provoke or manipulate someone by exploiting their emotional triggers)
- “Pull the wool over someone’s eyes” (to deceive or manipulate someone into believing something false)
- “String someone along” (to manipulate or deceive someone by giving false hope or promises)
- “Play both sides” (to manipulate a situation by working with multiple parties for personal gain)
- “Get into someone’s head” (to manipulate someone psychologically by affecting their thoughts or feelings)