Meanings
verbplay big (third-person singular simple present plays big, present participle playing big, simple past and past participle played big)
present singular third person plays big · participle present playing big · participle past played big · past played big
- figurativelyTo play for high stakes; to be willing to take risks.
Near-synonym: aim high
Synonyms: aim high · Antonyms: play small, play it safe
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo play for high stakes; to be willing to take risks.
Similar
Opposite
Also see
Translations
Finnish pelata suurella panoksella
- pelata suurella panoksellaTranslations
French jouer gros jeu
- jouer gros jeuTranslations
Polish mierzyć wysoko
- mierzyć wysokoTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
play big. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20big
MLA
“play big.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20big. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play big,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20big.
Source: play big on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.