Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

play it by ear

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.40 in modern English

Syllables: play it by ear
IPA

21

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

1

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

v

decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation

Example Sentences

"She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear"

Questions

What does play it by ear mean?: decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation

How to pronounce play it by ear

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “play it by ear”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “play it by ear”.
Repeat and practice — Say “play it by ear” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.