play it safe

Idioms and Phrases

Also, play safe . Avoid extreme risks, as in I played it safe and bet only a dollar , or Let's play safe and get a backup in case the announced speaker gets sick . [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

The most memorable productions may have involved classics of one kind or another, but these works were reborn in stagings that refused to play it safe.

From Los Angeles Times

She didn’t spend any time checking whether the chardonnay or Mr. Play It Safe were properly aligned with the rules of irony.

From Salon

I am going to play it safe and go for a draw, mainly because I think Brentford duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo are really talented players who always look like scoring, and the Bees always concede a few too.

From BBC

When I heard that Trump was going on Joe Rogan, I worried that Rogan would play it safe and down the middle, and not confront Trump about all his lies, his obvious corruption, his fawning praise for authoritarian dictators, and the fact that dozens and hundreds of people who worked closely with him in the first administration are trying to frantically warn the public against re-electing him.

From Salon

Take off into the looming darkness, relying primarily on the plane’s instruments, or play it safe and wait until the morning?

From Los Angeles Times