A formal or literary variant of 'play on,' meaning to exploit emotions, fears, or words.
To use someone's feelings or a word's double meaning to get an effect — a more old-fashioned way of saying 'play on.'
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
(Formal/literary) To deliberately exploit someone's emotions, weaknesses, or fears.
"The demagogue played upon the crowd's deepest anxieties to win their support."
"He played upon the credulity of those who were anxious to believe him."
— Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790
(Formal/literary) To make use of the double meaning of a word; to pun.
"Shakespeare delighted in playing upon words to create layers of comic meaning."
To play on top of or upon something.
To use someone's feelings or a word's double meaning to get an effect — a more old-fashioned way of saying 'play on.'
'Play upon' is largely interchangeable with 'play on' but sounds more literary or rhetorical. Found in older literature and formal writing. Rarely used in everyday speech.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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