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Play Politics

What Does "Play Politics" Mean?

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"Play politics" is an English idiom. It means "to engage in activities aimed at gaining advantages or power within an organization, often involving manipulation or strategic behavior."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "play politics" used in a sentence:
  • Some employees prefer to avoid playing politics at work and focus on their job performance instead.
  • In the world of diplomacy, playing politics is common as countries negotiate for their interests.
  • He became skilled at playing politics in the corporate environment and climbed the organizational ladder.
meaning for play politics

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Play Politics" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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