play it safe

verb

To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

“Deciding to play it safe, he joined his father's accounting firm rather than pursue an acting career.”

Opposite
play biggo all in
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Meanings

verbplay it safe (third-person singular simple present plays it safe, present participle playing it safe, simple past and past participle played it safe)

present singular third person plays it safe · participle present playing it safe · participle past played it safe · past played it safe · alternative play safe

  1. To take a cautious, risk-free approach.

    Deciding to play it safe, he joined his father's accounting firm rather than pursue an acting career.

    Antonyms: play big, go all in

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo take a cautious, risk-free approach.

Opposite
play biggo all in
Also see
play small

Translations

Dutch op zeker spelen, op veilig spelen
  • op zeker spelentake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • op veilig spelentake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • het zekere voor het onzekere nementake a cautious, risk-free approach
Finnish pelata varman päälle
  • pelata varman päälletake a cautious, risk-free approach
French jouer petit bras, jouer la carte de la sécurité
  • jouer petit brastake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • jouer la carte de la sécuritétake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • jouer la sécuritétake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • jouer la prudencetake a cautious, risk-free approach
German auf Nummer sicher gehen
  • auf Nummer sicher gehentake a cautious, risk-free approach
Polish dmuchać na zimne
  • dmuchać na zimnetake a cautious, risk-free approach
Portuguese jogar pelo seguro
  • jogar pelo segurotake a cautious, risk-free approach
Spanish jugar a lo seguro, curarse en salud
  • jugar a lo segurotake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • curarse en saludtake a cautious, risk-free approach
Turkish garantiye almak, sağlama almak
  • garantiye almaktake a cautious, risk-free approach
  • sağlama almaktake a cautious, risk-free approach
Cite this entry
APA

play it safe. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20it%20safe

MLA

“play it safe.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20it%20safe. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play it safe,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20it%20safe.

Source: play it safe on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.