play for a fool
Exploit someone's naivety
To play someone for a fool is to deceive or manipulate them, treating them as if they lack the intelligence to recognize what's happening.
The expression implies deliberate exploitation of someone's trust or naivety.
She played him for a fool, borrowing money she never intended to repay.
When someone realizes they've been played for a fool, they feel both deceived and insulted by the implication that they were easy to trick.
- trickDeliberate deception
- dupeDeceive or victim
- deceiveCause false belief
- markVisible impression or sign
- bamboozleDeceive through cunning
pull the wool · sucker · easy mark · hoodwink · con artist · hoax · gaslighting · mislead · ruse · cheat · exploitation · swindle · defraud · manipulation · tease · power imbalance · flimflam · vulnerability