play hard to get

/plˈeɪ hˈɑːd tə ɡˈɛt/

/plˈeɪ hˈɑːɹd tə ɡˈɛt/

to play hard to get

to act as though one is not interested in another person's romantic or sexual advances in order to increase their interest or desire

to [play] hard to get definition and meaning

What is the origin of the idiom "play hard to get" and when to use it?

The idiom "play hard to get" originates from the world of dating and relationships. It is based on the observation that people are often more attracted to those who seem less available or not as interested. When someone "plays hard to get," they adopt a deliberate approach of appearing uninterested or less accessible to the person expressing romantic or sexual interest. This strategy aims to create an element of challenge or pursuit, with the belief that it can increase the other person's desire or interest.

to not easily give a person something that they need or want from one

Examples

1. Alice enjoyed the attention she received from Michael, so she decided to play hard to get to keep him interested and maintain a sense of mystery.

2. Developers queued up to buy the property in 1995 but Turner played hard to get, waiting for better offers.

3. Only a few days ago, the Social Democrats were playing hard to get as the CDU tried to get them into coalition talks.

4. So, happiness, from now on, I'm playing hard to get.

Nearby words

play ducks and drakes with

tie the knot

take the plunge

take the law into hands

talk to ralph on the big white telephone

tall poppy