play it cool
Idioms-
Act cautiously and shrewdly, as in When they asked how much she earned, she played it cool . [ Slang ; 1940s]
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Become or remain calm, as in When they start to tease you, just play it cool . [ Slang ; 1940s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
“It’s a big deal. I’d sit up here and try to play it cool on that, but it wouldn’t be real,” Harbaugh said.
From Seattle Times ● May 25, 2022
He tried to play it cool, but his heart was pounding.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
