Play by ear Meaning in English
expression
Definition
To decide what to do as a situation develops, instead of planning in advance. It also means playing a musical piece without reading sheet music, using memory or improvisation.
Usage & Nuances
Informal and conversational. Used for making decisions in flexible or uncertain situations. In music, 'play by ear' means playing without sheet music. Outside music, it means to improvise or react as things happen. Don't confuse with 'listen by ear'.
Example Sentences
Let's play by ear and see what happens at the party.
basic
He can't read music, so he just plays by ear.
basic
We don't have a plan. We'll just play it by ear tomorrow.
basic
Can we play it by ear for dinner plans? I’m not sure when I’ll finish work.
natural
I forgot my speech, so I guess I'll have to play it by ear.
natural
I don't know if he'll come, so let's play it by ear and decide when we see who's here.
natural