Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

play dead

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.05 in modern English

Syllables
play dead
IPA
15
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To lie very still, like a corpse.

verb

To act as though defeated while awaiting a chance to attack.

Example Sentences

Inflected Forms

plays dead (present, singular) playing dead (participle, present) played dead (participle, past) played dead (past)

Frequently Paired Words

thanatosis

Synonyms

play possum play doggo

Questions

What does play dead mean?
To lie very still, like a corpse.

How to pronounce play dead

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “play dead”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “play dead”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “play dead” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.