cat-and-mouse

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s part of an elaborate cat-and-mouse game many colleges play to manage yield, or the share of admitted students who enroll.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Based on an actual meeting between the two, it’s a cagey game of cat-and-mouse, with the publisher taking the measure of a nervous, still-inexperienced journalist, looking for reassurance that his reporting will prove out.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The characters’ fate is predestined by cat-and-mouse conventions, and there are no big surprises when watching the parts come together.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

There is definitely a cat-and-mouse element to the relationship.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

I thought he might be toying, some cat-and-mouse routine, but now I think that his motives and desires weren’t obvious even to him.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood