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Glite Dictionary
to play politics

to play politics

14 7.4
To use secret or unfair actions to gain power at work
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : hacer maniobras políticas
  • During the meeting, it became clear that some members were playing politics rather than focusing on the project goals.

I've had it with their playing politics.

Examples

  • They talked a big game in the beginning, but I came here to work, not play politics.

    In Dubious Battle (2016)

  • Naturally, they were immediately criticized for playing politics with a national tragedy when we should all be pulling together.

    Blog text (21)

  • We should not play politics with them.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Is there any chance that someone might be playing politics or hiding the truth?

    Blog text (31)

  • My opponent has accused me of playing politics.

    Speechless (1994)

  • Why don't they pick up those bills and pass them instead of playing politics?

    Blog text (14)

  • We'd just be very disappointed if it turned out your office was playing politics.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Are you implying that the Mayor and I are playing politics with a man's life?

    The Front Page (1974)

  • Do you really think that ATK, ULA, and the other big boys aren't playing politics?

    Blog text (34)

  • But these right-wing reactionaries spent four years playing politics and then blamed the President for dividing the country.

    Blog text (13)

Synonyms

to pull strings
vsto play politics
64 6.0

To secretly use people you know to get what you want

relies on strategic maneuvering inside groups rather than private influence
to politick
vsto play politics
  • UK
3 9.4

To try to get power or support within a group for personal gain

is strategic manipulation inside groups rather than formal political action
to play the angle
vsto play politics
1 7.7

Use clever or dishonest moves to get an advantage

is about strategic manipulation inside groups for personal or organizational gain
to play one against another
vsto play politics
7.6

Make two people or groups compete to get an advantage for yourself

uses strategic manipulation within groups rather than just provoking conflict
to play the fox
vsto play politics
8.8

Act in a clever, tricky way to fool others

focuses on strategic advantage inside groups not merely personal trickery

Antonyms

to cooperate
543 3.3

To work together with other people to reach the same goal

How Manipulative

to manipulate
382 6.1
to scheme
14 6.5
to play politics
14 7.4
maneuver
  • US
108 6.3
to negotiate
  • Formal
801 3.7

Surface Forms

play politics infinitive
played politics past
played politics past participle
playing politics present participle
plays politics third person singular

Morphology

play + politics

The meaning 'to engage in manipulative or strategic behavior' is directly derivable from combining 'play' (to act or make a tactical move) with 'politics' (maneuvering for influence). Both words are frequent and the verb + noun composition transparently signals engaging in political manoeuvring; similar constructions exist in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer the meaning.

Etymology

Play politics comes from the image of people treating public life like a game: they play with rules and move people like pieces in politics, making secret deals to win. So it now means 'to plan secret moves or tricks to get ahead'.