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 shocking season 1 finale let viewers know The Rookie wouldn’t play it safe with characters, no matter how popular.
—
Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Harsh chemicals like bleach and abrasive scrubbers like steel wool can ruin your hardware, so check the manufacturer’s instructions and stick to gentle cleansers to play it safe.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
The setup sounds wild, the cast is fearless, and Riley’s track record suggests this won’t play it safe.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
That brand of fearlessness seems par for the course for Collins, whose Flight Risk, released earlier this year on Sony Music Nashville, doesn’t play it safe.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play it safe
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Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Harsh chemicals like bleach and abrasive scrubbers like steel wool can ruin your hardware, so check the manufacturer’s instructions and stick to gentle cleansers to play it safe.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
The setup sounds wild, the cast is fearless, and Riley’s track record suggests this won’t play it safe.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
That brand of fearlessness seems par for the course for Collins, whose Flight Risk, released earlier this year on Sony Music Nashville, doesn’t play it safe.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 18 Dec. 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 Jan. 2026.
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