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
Many designers, and homeowners, play it safe with understated, and often uninspired, shades of white paired with wood details.
—
Marta Sader, Architectural Digest, 2 Nov. 2024
Conversely, few candidates play it safe more than Vice President Harris.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
To play it safe, Lennon flushed it down the toilet — much to the disappointment of the well-meaning Smith.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024
For example, to play it safe for a traditional formal event, a crisp dark suit will do the trick.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2024
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.
Marta Sader, Architectural Digest, 2 Nov. 2024
Conversely, few candidates play it safe more than Vice President Harris.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
To play it safe, Lennon flushed it down the toilet — much to the disappointment of the well-meaning Smith.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024
For example, to play it safe for a traditional formal event, a crisp dark suit will do the trick.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for play it safe
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 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share