as in exploited
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
played upon the customer's vanity to convince her to buy the expensive makeup kit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played (upon)
Verb
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Both of those vulnerabilities were actively exploited in the wild.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026 -
Workers put their bodies, livelihoods and lives on the line to oppose employers and governments that exploited physical laborers through inhumane working conditions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, confirming that in humans is more challenging, given that human brain cells that can be manipulated to test the findings are of the deceased.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Known as the godfather of public relations, Bernays explained how the unconscious element of people in democratic societies could be manipulated.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Played (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20%28upon%29. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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