by the book

idiom

: by following the official rules very strictly

My boss insists on doing everything by the book.

Examples of by the book in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Michael Burry, the hedge fund manager made famous by the book The Big Short, suggested that such equipment should be written down on a faster schedule, which would seriously dent the companies’ profit growth. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025

Now, 25 years after its publication, a new edition of Reflections in Black is out, with 130 new images and an accompanying gallery show inspired by the book. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 Nov. 2025

Bondi, though, insists everything will be done by the book. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 22 Nov. 2025

Like Nina at the prison, Evelyn would rather do things by the book: cleaning up Kingstown by putting criminals and dirty cops behind bars, rather than letting Mike decide who’s allowed to break the law. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for by the book

• kinderhook
• meadowbrook
• overlook
• overtook
• pocketbook
• storybook
• tillamook
• undertook
• betook
• casebook
• chapbook
• checkbook