Meaning & use
strung me along
Last updated
“strung me along” is a form of “string along”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
phraseidiominformal
Kept me waiting or hoping for something without ever intending to give it, often in a romantic or personal situation.
Grammar: The pattern is 'string someone along'; the object comes between 'string' and 'along'. 'Strung me along' is the past tense with 'me' as the object.
Patterns
- string someone along
- be strung along by someone
He strung me along for months, saying he would leave his girlfriend, but he never did.
She felt angry when she realized they had strung her along about the job.
Don't let them string you along — ask for a definite answer today.
phraseidiominformal
Deliberately misled me over a period of time, usually to gain some advantage.
Grammar: This sense focuses on deception rather than waiting. The object still goes between the verb and 'along'.
Patterns
- string someone along
- string someone along with promises
The company strung me along with promises of a promotion that never came.
He strung me along, pretending he had the money to pay me back.
Common combinations
- string someone along for months
- They strung her along for months before finally admitting there was no job.
- string someone along with promises
- The salesman strung us along with promises of a discount.
- be strung along
- I was strung along for weeks and never got a straight answer.
- string someone along about something
- Stop stringing me along about your plans — just tell me the truth.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lead someone on
- Very close in meaning, but often used for making someone believe you are romantically interested when you are not.
- mislead
- More general and formal; it does not include the idea of keeping someone waiting over time.
- deceive
- Stronger and more formal; it focuses on making someone believe something false, not on delaying them.
Opposites
Word family
- string along phrasal verb
- The base form of this phrasal verb, meaning to keep someone waiting or mislead them.
- stringing along phrase
- The -ing form, as in 'He's just stringing you along.'
Commonly confused: strung me along or string out?
strung me along vs string out
A different phrasal verb meaning to make something last longer than necessary, as in 'They strung out the meeting.' It does not mean to deceive someone.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'strung me along' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'string someone along', with the object between 'string' and 'along'. Option 1 shows the past form 'strung me along' with the right meaning of keeping someone waiting or misleading them. Option 0 is wrong because the meaning is positive and clear, not deceptive. Option 2 is wrong because 'strung' is not used this way to mean 'took myself'. Option 3 puts 'me' after 'along', which is not the usual order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “strung me along”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.