playbook

noun

play·​book ˈplā-ˌbu̇k How to pronounce playbook (audio)
1
: one or more plays in book form
2
: a notebook containing diagrammed football plays
3
: a stock of usual tactics or methods
straight from his opponent's political playbook

Examples of playbook in a Sentence

He studied the new plays in the team's playbook.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the quarterback sneak is ripped from the playbook, creativity isn’t cute. — Sam McDowell 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026 Overnight hosting at home is quietly adopting the hotel playbook. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 The conversation will focus on the decisions facing leaders now — what’s working, where companies are investing, and what the next media and marketing playbook looks like. — semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 There’s a standard playbook that most consumer product good (CPG) companies use when launching their company into the marketplace. — Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for playbook

Word History

First Known Use

1511, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of playbook was in 1511

Browse Nearby Words

Playbill
playbook
play both ends against the middle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playbook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playbook. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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