play the game

Idioms  

1. Behave according to accepted customs, obey the rules. For example, Not every foreign company can be counted on to play the game. The game here alludes to a sport with a set of rules. [Late 1800s] Also see play games.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

play the game

Gamers buy licences to play the game -- licences that can be withdrawn.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

So while we may chafe at having our worth reduced to numbers on the boss’s productivity dashboard, we have to play the game as it’s being played.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

It was a passionate moment in an otherwise less colourful Parliamentary career, which a former UUP director of communications said was characterised by his knowledge of "how to play the game in Westminster".

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

That experiment allowed producers to learn quickly how future cast members might play the game.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

“Sure it is. If you want to play the game the way everyone else does.”

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

Related Words

• acclimate
• accommodate
• accustom
• alter
• comply
• conform
• fit
• modify
• prepare
• readjust
• revise
• shape
• suit
• tailor