playbook

noun

play·​book ˈplā-ˌbu̇k 

1

: one or more plays in book form

2

: a notebook containing diagrammed football plays

3

: a stock of usual tactics or methods

straight from his opponent's political playbook

Examples of playbook in a Sentence

He studied the new plays in the team's playbook.

Recent Examples on the Web

None of them decided what was worth going after, recognized which opening justified the risk, or improvised when a target behaved in a way no playbook anticipated. — Jay Kaplan, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

Many Democrats have centered their campaigns on affordability and the working person — a move out of Rehmet’s playbook from January. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026

Vucic indeed borrowed from Putin’s playbook, seeking to pivot from president to prime minister when prevented by the Constitution from running again - and playing heavily on Serbian nationalism. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Given that Trump has built three campaigns around his skills as a dealmaker, the White House has plenty of reason to argue that his opponents won’t use his playbook. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1511, in the meaning defined at sense 1