play it cool

Idioms  

1. Act cautiously and shrewdly, as in When they asked how much she earned, she played it cool . [ Slang ; 1940s]

2. Become or remain calm, as in When they start to tease you, just play it cool . [ Slang ; 1940s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

play it cool

As much as we’d love to play it cool and laugh off the notion that anything matters, well, they sometimes do!

From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2026

While Cameron said he thinks Eilish tried to play it cool and not "fangirl" when she first met him, he wasn't nearly so calm, telling the BBC he was a "fanboy" from the get-go.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

On the way out, after one fellow diner tells Domingo he’s a fan, the actor teases another who tries to play it cool after spotting the star.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

And I was like, play it cool, play it cool, play it cool.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026

I try to play it cool and act unimpressed, but the only fancy houses I’ve ever seen in real life are the ones I’ve cleaned with Amá.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

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