play politics

idiom

disapproving
: to say or do things for political reasons instead of doing what is right or what is best for other people
She's been accused of playing politics with the investigation.

Examples of play politics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Our troops should not be left waiting for their paycheck while Washington politicians play politics. Derek Tran, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025 There are people that want to play politics [who] will use that as an excuse to play politics. Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2025 No help showing, no regulation or tilt toward We The People from our representatives who soak in cash in our pay to play politics. Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 June 2025 This was never anything more than an attempt to run interference, help the defendants in our cases avoid accountability, and play politics with the Constitution. William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for play politics

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Play politics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20politics. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!