Her display of emotions was just a play on his sympathy.
expectations
Frequency:
50
%
His actions were a play on her expectations of him.
fears
Frequency:
45
%
Her fears seemed to be a play on his insecurities.
Idiomatic Expressions for play on
Phrase: play on emotions
Meaning: to manipulate or exploit someone's feelings or emotions for a particular purpose
Usage: The politician's speech was designed to play on the emotions of the voters and gain their support.