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.
For a young band of players in their early 20s, they play it cool; “Dulce Amargo” is their eighth LP to date.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 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
“I was trying to kind of play it cool and then I saw him and I was like, ‘I can’t play it cool.’”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2023
But British officials are keen to play it cool on the EPC, insisting they will walk away if it evolves in an undesirable direction.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2022
A smile forces its way into a corner of my mouth, even though I gave my body strict orders to play it cool.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
