play one against another

verb

To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbplay one against another (third-person singular simple present plays one against another, present participle playing one against another, simple past and past participle played one against another)

present singular third person plays one against another · participle present playing one against another · participle past played one against another · past played one against another

  1. idiomaticTo manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.

    You would expect that we would stick together more, but no way Pete! They lie and snitch on each other and so the system has even more control over us by playing us against each other.

    1989 December 10, Glenda Edwards, “They Can't Keep Me Away From My Stink”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 5

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 挑撥離間 /挑拨离间
  • 挑撥離間 /挑拨离间 (tiǎobōlíjiàn)manipulate two persons into competing against one another
Finnish saada juonittelemaan toisiaan vastaan
  • saada juonittelemaan toisiaan vastaanmanipulate two persons into competing against one another
Cite this entry
APA

play one against another. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20one%20against%20another

MLA

“play one against another.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20one%20against%20another. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play one against another,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20one%20against%20another.

Source: play one against another on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.