Play It by Ear | Meaning & Example Sentences
Play it by ear is an idiom that means “do something without planning it out beforehand.”
The first recorded use of the phrase was in John Playford’s 1658 handbook A Brief Introduction to the Skill of Musick: “To learn to play by rote or ear without book.” This idea of playing music by listening to it instead of reading it off a sheet is where the idiom comes from.
To play music by ear requires the musician to feel the music and play according to how the song develops; to play something by ear in the idiomatic sense is to act on something according to how a given situation plays out.
We’re playing it by ear because the weather looks bad.
My teacher didn’t have a plan, so she played it by ear.
How to use play it by ear
You use “play it by ear” when talking about doing something without a plan or any preparation.
You can either use the phrase as is (e.g., “We’re going to play it by ear”), or you can replace the word “it” with the name of a specific activity or event (e.g., “We’re going to play the road trip by ear”).
The verb “play” in the expression is conjugated for both tense and subject (e.g., “I played it by ear,” “you are playing it by ear”).
She wants to be more spontaneous and is playing everything by ear.
Emily doesn’t feel good today, so she’s going to play it by ear.
Play it by year or ear?
The correct phrase is “play it by ear.” “Play it by year” is a common misspelling or commonly misheard phrase with no discernible meaning.
To play something by ear is to be guided by your senses, much like a musician playing music by ear without written notes.
- We might go later, but we’re playing it by year.
- We might go later, but we’re playing it by ear.
Play it by ear synonyms
“Play it by ear” is a common idiom, but it’s great to have options. When you’re discussing something being done without extensive preparation or planning, consider one of these alternatives.
| Synonyms | Examples |
|---|---|
| Improvise | She’s going to improvise the whole party. |
| Think on one’s feet | Shelby had to think on her feet when she got called on in class. |
| Ad lib | The actor ad libbed most of his lines. |
| Wing it | I’m just going to wing it at rehearsal tonight. |
| Fly by the seat of one’s pants | I lost the itinerary, so now I’m flying by the seat of my pants for the whole trip. |
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about common mistakes, verbs, or US vs UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Common mistakes
Verbs
Frequently asked questions about play it by ear
- What is the origin of play it by ear?
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The idiom “play it by ear” comes from John Playford’s A Brief Introduction to the Skill of Musick (1658). He writes, “To learn to play by rote or ear without book.”
- When should I use play it by ear?
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Use the idiom “play it by ear” when you are discussing an action or situation that is done or will be done without a plan in place.
