Pronunciation: /pleɪ dʌm/
verb to pretend to be ignorant or unaware of something
A1 She doesn't understand the instructions, so she decides to play dumb.
A2 When the teacher asked who broke the vase, Tim decided to play dumb and stay silent.
B1 During the interrogation, the suspect tried to play dumb to avoid incriminating himself.
B2 The politician tried to play dumb when asked about the corruption scandal.
C1 The CEO was caught trying to play dumb during the investigation into financial misconduct.
C2 Despite overwhelming evidence, the defendant continued to play dumb in court.
adjective acting in a way that makes one appear unintelligent or unaware
A1 She decided to play dumb when asked about the missing cookies.
A2 The student tried to play dumb to avoid getting in trouble for not doing their homework.
B1 The suspect continued to play dumb during the police interrogation.
B2 I could tell he was playing dumb to avoid taking responsibility for his actions.
C1 Despite his attempts to play dumb, the lawyer saw through his lies.
C2 The politician's attempt to play dumb in front of the media only made him look more guilty.
formal It is not ethical to play dumb in a professional setting.
informal I saw you play dumb when the teacher asked about the missing homework.
slang Don't play dumb with me, I know you were involved in the prank.
figurative She tried to play dumb, but we all knew she was the mastermind behind the scheme.
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