To treat someone or something without the seriousness or respect they deserve.
To not take something or someone seriously when you really should.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To treat something serious in a casual or disrespectful way.
"This is a matter of public safety — it is not something to be trifled with."
He is not a man to be trifled with.
— Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
To treat someone's feelings, especially romantic feelings, carelessly or without sincerity.
"How dare you trifle with her affections after everything she did for you!"
Often used in warnings or negative constructions: 'not to be trifled with'. Carries a tone of warning or indignation. More common in British English and formal registers. The phrase 'not to be trifled with' is a fixed, very common expression.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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