toy
1 of 3noun
ˈtȯi 
plural toys
1
a
: something for a child to play with
The children played with their toys.
a plush/stuffed toy
plastic/wooden/electronic toys
a bath toy
—often used before another noun a toy cara toy store/company/makera large toy collection
b
: something resembling a child's toy especially in providing amusement or entertainment
a dog's chew toy
Among Greg Norman's toys is a 61-foot sportfishing boat …
Austin Murphy
Austin Murphy2
: something that is or appears to be small
The duster, a simple aerial crop dusting plane, is a toy in comparison to Delta's fleet now. Bianca Theodore
Bianca Theodore especially : a small animal (as of a small breed or variety) see also toy fox terrier, toy manchester terrier, toy poodle
3
: someone or something that can be toyed with
He's just her toy. = He's just a toy in her hands.
I'm referring to unilateral economic sanctions. This instrument of foreign policy has recently become a toy in the hands of our politicians … Oscar Wyatt
Oscar Wyatt4
a
: something (such as a preoccupation) that is paltry or trifling
b
: a literary or musical trifle or diversion
c
: trinket, bauble
5
Scotland : a headdress of linen or woolen hanging down over the shoulders and formerly worn by old women of the lower classes
6
obsolete
a
: flirtatious or seductive behavior
b
: pastime
also : a sportive or amusing act : antic
toylike
ˈtȯi-ˌlīk
adjective toy
2 of 3verb
toyed; toying; toys
intransitive verb
1
: to act or deal with something lightly or without vigor or purpose
toyed with the idea
2
: to amuse oneself as if with a toy : play
they're just toying with him
3
: to engage in flirtation
toyer
ˈtȯi-ər
noun toy
3 of 3adjective
1
: of diminutive size compared to a standard form or breed
a toy dog
2
: designed or made for use as a toy
a toy stove
Synonyms
Verb
- dally
- disport
- frolic
- play
- recreate
- rollick
- skylark
- sport
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun Please put away your toys. He bought a new TV and a few other toys. Her latest toy is a sports car. Your car is just a toy compared to this truck. Verb the cat toyed with the mouse it had caught, batting it about likes to toy with men whom she has no intention of actually dating Adjective Put your toys back in the toy box . See More
Recent Examples on the Web David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2022 Perhaps the point is the flimsiness of such royal symbols, but the toy cornet robs Harvard’s Oedipus of some dignity. Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2022 In 1997, Maldacena extended this same holographic principle to an entire toy universe. Thomas Lewton, Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2022 At Balmoral, 1952 The Queen is seen here at Balmoral with a four-year-old Charles in his toy car. Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 Editor's note: A fidget toy is not a replacement for professional help. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 No matter how brilliant the Mister Fantastic toy above might be, there’s no way to buy it. Chris Smith, BGR, 5 June 2022 The only inflatable toy that King owns is a five-foot-tall rainbow sprinkler — nothing out of the ordinary in a family-friendly community. Erica Smith Ewing, National Review, 1 Mar. 2022 The Baci suction toy from Lora DiCarlo is one of the best in its class. Gear Team, Wired, 5 Feb. 2022 Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2022 European leaders expect Russia will keep gas flowing at a low level to toy with the region and create uncertainty. Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 There was a shop for every age and interest, from cookie bakers to toy makers, visual artists to potters and jewelry designers. Mary Jane Brewer, cleveland, 15 Aug. 2022 Mattel Films and Skydance Media are developing a live-action film based on the Matchbox vehicles toy line. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 19 July 2022 The rumor that suggested Wanda might die in Multiverse of Madness also said Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) might toy with the idea of killing Wanda to save everyone else. Chris Smith, BGR, 17 June 2022 Here's another splash pad that works well as a shallow wading pool and can transform into a ball pit and toy zone during the winter months. Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 13 June 2022 There is a famous clip from a news conference in 1965, during that period when Dylan would toy with journalists. Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2022 The question we're left to ponder is not whether Trump likes to toy with the idea of using violence. Michael D'antonio, CNN, 3 May 2022 Marci Vogel, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2022 Also, mom and dad are clearly, in non-toy form, overwhelmed and exhausted. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021 That's why the Chron Shopping team has picked out some of our favorite non-toy gifts for kids to keep children engaged, active, and happy. Micolette Davis, Chron, 19 Nov. 2020 Try Amazon’s own toy subscription service, which boasts a subscription for children aged 3 to 13. Popular Science, 11 Oct. 2019 Scene transitions show toy cities, just like those used on the legendary children’s show, only Lloyd’s story is unfolding in Manhattan, rather than Pittsburgh. Rachel E. Greenspan, Time, 22 Nov. 2019 Without proper safeguards—by parents, if not toy companies—children are at risk, both individually and through collection of aggregate data about kids’ activities. Marie-helen Maras, Scientific American, 10 May 2018 When the researchers presented plans for their study to tribe members who were trained research assistants, the assistants protested that the experiment—which involved watching children play with toy animals—was not culturally appropriate. Jason G. Goldman, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2018 See More
Noun
Like Spielberg, this New Jersey kid will graduate from simply crashing toy trains to filming his head-on Lionel locomotive collisions, all the better to control the chaos and replay it over and over again. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2022 Perhaps the point is the flimsiness of such royal symbols, but the toy cornet robs Harvard’s Oedipus of some dignity. Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2022 In 1997, Maldacena extended this same holographic principle to an entire toy universe. Thomas Lewton, Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2022 At Balmoral, 1952 The Queen is seen here at Balmoral with a four-year-old Charles in his toy car. Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 Editor's note: A fidget toy is not a replacement for professional help. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 No matter how brilliant the Mister Fantastic toy above might be, there’s no way to buy it. Chris Smith, BGR, 5 June 2022 The only inflatable toy that King owns is a five-foot-tall rainbow sprinkler — nothing out of the ordinary in a family-friendly community. Erica Smith Ewing, National Review, 1 Mar. 2022 The Baci suction toy from Lora DiCarlo is one of the best in its class. Gear Team, Wired, 5 Feb. 2022 Verb
As little boys, Pam says Aubrey and Christian, too, preferred dolls to toy trucks. Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2022 European leaders expect Russia will keep gas flowing at a low level to toy with the region and create uncertainty. Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 There was a shop for every age and interest, from cookie bakers to toy makers, visual artists to potters and jewelry designers. Mary Jane Brewer, cleveland, 15 Aug. 2022 Mattel Films and Skydance Media are developing a live-action film based on the Matchbox vehicles toy line. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 19 July 2022 The rumor that suggested Wanda might die in Multiverse of Madness also said Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) might toy with the idea of killing Wanda to save everyone else. Chris Smith, BGR, 17 June 2022 Here's another splash pad that works well as a shallow wading pool and can transform into a ball pit and toy zone during the winter months. Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 13 June 2022 There is a famous clip from a news conference in 1965, during that period when Dylan would toy with journalists. Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2022 The question we're left to ponder is not whether Trump likes to toy with the idea of using violence. Michael D'antonio, CNN, 3 May 2022 Adjective
Not surprisingly, the non-toy version was well beyond my household budget, and — less surprisingly, still — months on back order. Marci Vogel, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2022 Also, mom and dad are clearly, in non-toy form, overwhelmed and exhausted. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021 That's why the Chron Shopping team has picked out some of our favorite non-toy gifts for kids to keep children engaged, active, and happy. Micolette Davis, Chron, 19 Nov. 2020 Try Amazon’s own toy subscription service, which boasts a subscription for children aged 3 to 13. Popular Science, 11 Oct. 2019 Scene transitions show toy cities, just like those used on the legendary children’s show, only Lloyd’s story is unfolding in Manhattan, rather than Pittsburgh. Rachel E. Greenspan, Time, 22 Nov. 2019 Without proper safeguards—by parents, if not toy companies—children are at risk, both individually and through collection of aggregate data about kids’ activities. Marie-helen Maras, Scientific American, 10 May 2018 When the researchers presented plans for their study to tribe members who were trained research assistants, the assistants protested that the experiment—which involved watching children play with toy animals—was not culturally appropriate. Jason G. Goldman, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English toye
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6a
Verb
circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Adjective
1793, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Phrases Containing toy
Kids Definition
toy 1 of 2
noun
ˈtȯi
1
: something for a child to play with
2
: something of little or no value
3
: something small of its kind
toy
2 of 2verb
toyed; toying
1
: to fidget or play with without thinking
2
: to think about something briefly and not very seriously
He was toying with the idea of doing a whole book of drawings. Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia3
: to flirt with
toy 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to play
to engage in activity for amusement the cat toyed with the mouse it had caught, batting it about Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- play
- sport
- frolic
- recreate
- joke
- entertain
- amuse
- romp
- skylark
- rollick
- delight
- tease
- relax
- trifle
- disport
- gambol
- rest
- dally
- cavort
- frisk
- please
- loaf
- idle
- screw around
- dabble
- hang
- goldbrick
- hang about
- dabble
- mess around
- fiddle (around)
- divert
- dawdle
- jest
- putter (around)
- lounge (around or about)
- bum (around)
- slack (off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- slave
- work
- labor
- plug (away)
- struggle
- strive
- strain
- toil
- sweat
- drudge
- plod
2
as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun likes to toy with men whom she has no intention of actually dating Synonyms & Similar Words
- flirt
- coquette
- trifle
- coquet
- kid
- mess around
- tease
- frivol
- court
- vamp
- rib
- dally
- woo
- mash
- lead on
- razz
- fool
- string along
- put on
- josh
- manipulate
- play (with)
toy
2 of 2adjective
as in toylike
Synonyms & Similar Words
- toylike
- miniature
- small
- dwarf
- dinky
- pocket
- little
- mini
- pygmy
- diminutive
- bantam
- smallish
- tiny
- pint-sized
- puny
- micro
- pint-size
- subnormal
- undersized
- miniaturized
- pocket-sized
- wee
- dwarfish
- microscopic
- teeny
- runty
- pocket-size
- scrubby
- shrimpy
- minikin
- slight
- stunted
- half-pint
- runtish
- bitty
- weeny
- fine
- Lilliputian
- undersize
- infinitesimal
- teensy
- minuscule
- pinpoint
- spare
- capsule
- skimpy
- slender
- minute
- minim
- sparse
- scanty
- scarce
- wanting
- little bitty
- teeny-weeny
- poor
- meager
- scant
- inappreciable
- microscopical
- skimp
- stingy
- inadequate
- slim
- lacking
- weensy
- niggardly
- teensy-weensy
- insufficient
- deficient
- bite-sized
- meagre
- bite-size
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- large
- big
- great
- grand
- substantial
- oversized
- giant
- husky
- considerable
- sizeable
- bulky
- handsome
- oversize
- massive
- sizable
- gigantic
- huge
- jumbo
- mammoth
- outsized
- boxcar
- tidy
- galactic
- outsize
- goodly
- colossal
- enormous
- whopping
- titanic
- largish
- monstrous
- vast
- monumental
- humongous
- gross
- heroic
- hefty
- mountainous
- cyclopean
- monolithic
- voluminous
- tremendous
- gargantuan
- prodigious
- cavernous
- whacking
- healthy
- elephantine
- immense
- overscaled
- overscale
- liberal
- stupendous
- pharaonic
- staggering
- ample
- heroical
- leviathan
- king-size
- hulking
- generous
- fat
- bountiful
- wide
- king-sized
- biggish
- copious
- broad
- appreciable
- abundant
- cosmic
- infinite
- thick
- humungous
- plentiful
- herculean
- enough
- adequate
- plenteous
- sufficient
- Bunyanesque
- boundless
- cosmical
- Himalayan
- Brobdingnagian
- incalculable
- immeasurable
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of toy are coquet, dally, flirt, and trifle. While all these words mean "to deal with or act toward without serious purpose," toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.
a political novice toying with great issues
While in some cases nearly identical to toy, coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.
companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations
In some situations, the words dally and toy are roughly equivalent. However, dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.
dallying with the idea of building a boat someday
The words flirt and toy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.
flirted with one fashionable ism after another
The meanings of trifle and toy largely overlap; however, trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.
to trifle with a lover's feelings
Phrases Containing toy
- slattering
- slattern
- slatternlier
- slatternliest
- slatternliness
- slatternlinesses
- slatternly
- slatterns
- slatters
- slattery
- slatting
- slattings
- slaty
- slaty gray aphid
- slaty gum
- slaughter
- slaughtered
- slaughterer
- slaughterers
- slaughterhouse
- slaughterhouse case
- slaughterhouses
- slaughtering
- slaughterings
- slaughterman