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

Buzz around the game has also spawned viral “Saturday Night Live” sketches, and YouTube skits about droves of workers all putting in for the same time off in order to play the game.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026

Losing two of the greatest to ever play the game just months apart will definitely leave a mark on international soccer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Gamers buy licences to play the game -- licences that can be withdrawn.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

"We also have our own tools and know how to play the game," he said, adding Tehran had been "waiting for these plans for a long time".

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

So I will wear the costume, say the right things, and play the game to get what I need.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

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Related Words

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

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