string along
Keep falsely hoping
To string someone along is to keep them waiting or hoping without delivering what they expect—maintaining their interest through vague promises or intermittent encouragement: He strung her along for months before admitting he wasn't interested.
The image suggests leading someone like beads on a string, keeping them attached without real commitment.
To string along with someone can also mean to accompany them casually.
Deceive or victim
- hoodwinkTrick into false belief
- conArgument against
- bamboozleDeceive through cunning
- trickDeliberate deception
fool · hoax · mislead · deceive · delude · beguile · gull · snooker
dupe
Deceive or victim
trick · fool · hoax · mislead · deceive · delude · beguile · gull · snooker · sucker
lead on
Falsely encourage someone's hopes
play with · dangle · trifle · coquette · tantalize · entice · bait · lure · play games · run hot and cold
delay
Enforced waiting period
extend · protract · stretch · postpone · procrastinate · buy time · temporize · dally · dawdle · linger
- trickerytrick, deceive, mislead, hoax, ruse
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- betrayalbackstab, betray, betrayal, traitor, backstabber
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
- fidgetingfidgeting, fidget, tapping, fiddle, finger tapping
- teasingtease, teasing, rib, ribbing, josh
string alonglevel with
Speak honestly to
tell the truth · come clean · lay one's cards on the table · speak plainly
string alongcommit
Bind to a course
make a decision · fish or cut bait · put one's cards on the table · shit or get off the pot · break it off
string, along, stringy, strings, stringing, hamstring, stringer, stringless, drawstring