play hard to get
/ˌpleɪ ˌhɑːd tə ˈɡet/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to pretend to be less interested in someone than you are
Examples
- 1Tom liked Priya, but she played hard to get for weeks before agreeing to a date.
- 2Stop playing hard to get and just tell Sam you want to see him again.
- 3Aisha didn't answer his messages for two days because she was playing hard to get.
- 4Leo really likes you, so don't play hard to get when he asks you to the cinema.
- 5She said she was busy all weekend, but we all knew she was just playing hard to get.
Grammar
Only play changes: plays, played, playing. hard to get stays as it is.
More idioms about relationships
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →a match made in heaventwo people who suit each other perfectlyblood is thicker than waterfamily ties matter more than other relationshipsat each other's throatsarguing angrily all the timebirds of a featherpeople who are similar in characterbuild bridgesto improve relations between people who disagreean old flamesomeone you had a romantic relationship with in the past
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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