Phrase guide

play dead

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To lie very still, like a corpse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonym: play doggo

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: play possum, play doggo

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To act as though defeated while awaiting a chance to attack.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: fer el mort — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Chinese Mandarin: 裝死 /装死 (zhuāngsǐ) — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Esperanto: ŝajnigi sin morta — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Finnish: leikkiä kuollutta — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Finnish: esittää kuollutta — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Finnish: teeskennellä kuollutta — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Finnish: näytellä kuollutta — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • French: faire le mort — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Georgian: თავს იმკვდარუნებს (tavs imḳvdarunebs) — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Interlingua: facer le morte — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Polish: udawać trupa — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Polish: udać trupa — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Swedish: spela död — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Tagalog: magpatay-patayan — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Turkish: ölü taklidi yapmak — to lie very still, like a corpse
  • Chinese Mandarin: 裝死 /装死 (zhuāngsǐ) — to act as though defeated
  • Finnish: leikkiä kuollutta — to act as though defeated
  • Finnish: esittää kuollutta — to act as though defeated
  • Finnish: teeskennellä kuollutta — to act as though defeated
  • Finnish: näytellä kuollutta — to act as though defeated
  • French: faire le mort — to act as though defeated
  • German: sich tot stellen — to act as though defeated
  • Italian: fare il morto — to act as though defeated
  • Italian: fingersi morto — to act as though defeated
  • Korean: 죽은 척을 하다 (jugeun cheogeul hada) — to act as though defeated
  • Norwegian: spille død — to act as though defeated
  • Polish: udawać trupa — to act as though defeated
  • Polish: udać trupa — to act as though defeated
  • Spanish: hacerse el muerto — to act as though defeated
  • Turkish: ölü taklidi yapmak — to act as though defeated