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play dumb

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /ˌpleɪ ˈdʌm/

play dumb means: To pretend you do not know or understand something, often to avoid trouble.

verb

PRETEND NOT KNOWB2

To pretend you do not know or understand something, often to avoid trouble.

  • Do not play dumb with me.
  • She played dumb when I asked about the broken window.
  • He tried to play dumb, but we knew he had read the message.

How to use it: play dumb about something (He played dumb about the missing money.)

Similar words: feign ignorance, pretend not to know

Common phrases: play dumb about something, play dumb again

PRETEND CANNOT SPEAKC2

To pretend that you cannot speak.

  • He played dumb and used gestures.
  • She decided to play dumb, pretending she had no voice.
  • To hide his accent, he played dumb when the guards questioned him.

Similar words: pretend to be unable to speak

Common phrases: play dumb throughout, play dumb convincingly

Questions about play dumb

What does play dumb mean?

To pretend you do not know or understand something, often to avoid trouble.

What is play dumb in other languages?

Türkçe: bilmezden gelmek · Español: hacerse el tonto · Français: faire l’ignorant · Deutsch: sich dumm stellen · Italiano: fare il finto tonto · 日本語: 知らないふりをする

How do you pronounce play dumb?

It is pronounced /ˌpleɪ ˈdʌm/.

How do you use play dumb in a sentence?

Do not play dumb with me. She played dumb when I asked about the broken window.

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play dumb in other languages

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