# play dumb

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/play-dumb
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To pretend to be dumb, either:

## Examples

- He played dumb when I asked about the broken vase.
- When the police officer asked who was driving the car, the teenager decided to play dumb.
- Rather than admitting he had seen the confidential documents, the manager chose to play dumb and feigned complete ignorance of the entire situation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.