strung along

verb

past tense of string along
as in deceived
to cause to believe what is untrue the student succeeded in stringing even his teachers along with his tales of family hardships

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of strung along For one thing, the aircraft was an all-electric number powered by a dozen electric motors strung along the leading edge of the wing. — New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 But by Taiwan’s next presidential election in 2028, 12 years will have passed since that strategy was last tested—and the gamble is whether Xi can still be strung along. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Clients appreciate getting a clear answer instead of being strung along. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2026 The small fragments of colorful glass, strung along together, produce soothing sounds, their tinkling notes wafting through the air alongside a chorus of windchimes and the sweet scent of plumeria blooming in the garden. — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026 There’s a reason they’re strung along restaurant patios and hung for wedding receptions. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 29 June 2026 The brand’s beaded bikinis and one-pieces stay relatively streamlined in silhouette, but are adorned with playful rainbow beads strung along straps and ties, translating its accessory language into a new category. — Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 19 May 2026 Last fall, loops of razor-wire fencing were strung along the Rio Grande in the Big Bend area, a remote region of far West Texas. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 The show is strung along by archival content. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strung along
  1. deceived
  2. tricked
  3. fooled
  4. sucked in
  5. had on
Verb
  • Some veterans say recruiters deceived them and Haitian authorities tortured them; their families call them scapegoats.
    — Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the Colombians have long maintained that they were deceived about the mission and arrived at the home after Moïse had already been killed.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceived
Verb
  • But a few times in recent years, Hollins, a veterinarian, tricked Jonathan and slid a cotton swab into the giant tortoise's mouth to get a saliva sample.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Those conducting the online scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals -- many Chinese -- tricked themselves into work and held in prison-like compounds.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tricked
Verb
  • Don’t be fooled by the big numbers that these guys throw around in their ballots.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Despite all the criticism that has pummeled the club since it was found guilty of over 100 charges relating to financial breaches, you could be fooled into thinking nothing was wrong.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fooled
Verb
  • Young people who get addicted to social media get sucked in and lose track of time, Greenberg said, similar to adults.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
  • To combat that, the car was equipped with about 400 pounds of ice and water to cool not only the engines but also the air being sucked in and turbocharged.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sucked in
Verb
  • Ditka, meanwhile, was one of the most famous coaches of his era because of the success his teams had on the field, as well as his blunt talk.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026
  • While Morgan is humble about the effect his foundation has had on the people around him, others are taking notice.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of had on

Browse Nearby Words

strung
strung along
strung out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strung along.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strung%20along. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All