play someone at their own game

A form of beat someone at their own game — To successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them.

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Meanings

verbplay someone at their own game (third-person singular simple present plays someone at their own game, present participle playing someone at their own game, simple past and past participle played someone at their own game)

present singular third person plays someone at their own game · participle present playing someone at their own game · participle past played someone at their own game · past played someone at their own game

  1. UKalternativeAlternative form of beat someone at their own game.
Cite this entry
APA

play someone at their own game. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game

MLA

“play someone at their own game.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play someone at their own game,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game.

Source: play someone at their own game on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.