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
The Red Sox announced that he was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, but the team will likely play it safe with their young superstar, as the postseason quickly approaches.
—
Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The guest bathrooms ride the wave, ranging from stormy to serene, and none play it safe.
—Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
What makes this significant for Koh Samui is Thompson's refusal to play it safe.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In that regard, Zebrowski differs from last year’s OC Jeff Grimes, who tended to play it safe at various points.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play it safe
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.
Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The guest bathrooms ride the wave, ranging from stormy to serene, and none play it safe.
—Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
What makes this significant for Koh Samui is Thompson's refusal to play it safe.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In that regard, Zebrowski differs from last year’s OC Jeff Grimes, who tended to play it safe at various points.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share