play it by ear

phrase

: to do something without special preparation
I don't know how they'll react to our proposal, so we'll just have to play it by ear and hope for the best.

Cite this Entry

“Play it by ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20it%20by%20ear. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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