play it safe
idiom
: to be careful and avoid risk or danger
I decided to play it safe and leave early so that I would be sure to arrive on time.
Examples of play it safe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Invest in Yourself and Your Business We’ve often been told to play it safe and avoid taking risks.
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Melissa Houston, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
If any of the above descriptions match the state of your gasoline, play it safe and dispose of it appropriately.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2024
To play it safe, fire up your hair dryer to exterminate potential intruders.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 18 July 2024
If no emergency crews are on the scene, play it safe and call it in.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for play it safe 
Melissa Houston, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
If any of the above descriptions match the state of your gasoline, play it safe and dispose of it appropriately.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2024
To play it safe, fire up your hair dryer to exterminate potential intruders.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 18 July 2024
If no emergency crews are on the scene, play it safe and call it in.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for play it safe
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play it safe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near play it safe
Cite this Entry
“Play it safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20it%20safe. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
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