Is It “Play it by Ear” or “Play it by Year”?

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Clearing up the confusion about this common phrase

Co-authored by Language Academia and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: April 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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Is “play it by ear” or “play it by year” correct?

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Definition, Origin, & Examples

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Similar Phrases

“Play it by ear” and “play it by year” sound incredibly similar, so it makes sense that many people mix them up. The correct use of the phrase, however, is “play it by ear.” It means to take things as they come, rather than planning ahead. Keep reading for all the info you need on this common idiom, including its definition, where it comes from, and how to use it in a sentence. We’ve also compiled a list of similar phrases if you’re looking for an alternative!

Things You Should Know

The correct phrase is “play it by ear,” not “play it by year.”
“Play it by ear” means taking a situation as it comes, rather than planning ahead.
Similar phrases include “go with the flow,” “wing it,” and “make it up as you go along.”

Section 1 of 3:

Is “play it by ear” or “play it by year” correct?

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The two phrases sound very similar when spoken aloud, which is probably the reason for the confusion. “Play it by year” likely developed out of people mishearing the correct phrase, and it doesn’t actually have a meaning of its own.

Section 2 of 3:

“Play it By Ear” Definition, Origin, & Examples

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“Play it by ear” means doing something without planning or preparation. When someone “plays it by ear,” they take a situation as it comes, rather than planning in advance.^{[1]
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Research source} For example, if your friend asks what you’re doing over the weekend, but you don’t want to commit to a specific schedule, you could say, “I’m not sure yet. I think I’m just going to play it by ear.” Here are a few more examples:
- “My mom asked what I want to do for my birthday, but I don’t have a plan in mind. I just want to see how I feel on that day and play it by ear.”
- “I want our date night to be more spontaneous, so I didn’t make any reservations. Let's go wherever the night takes us and play it by ear!”
- “My boyfriend likes to have things super planned out when we go on vacation, but I’d rather just explore and play things by ear, without a strict schedule.”
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The phrase “Playing it by ear” was originally used by musicians. Musicians use the phrase to describe the act of playing a piece from memory. It can also refer to the ability to learn a piece simply by listening to it, rather than looking at the sheet music. When someone can do this, they’re said to have “a good ear.”^{[2]
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- Over time, the phrase has grown to mean doing something without a specific plan, just as the original version meant playing music without a written score.

Section 3 of 3:

Other Ways to Say “Play it By Ear”

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Go with the flow “Go with the flow” means letting things happen naturally, rather than trying to control them.^{[3]
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Research source} It can also mean doing what others want to do in order to avoid conflict.^{[4]
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Research source} When someone is “going with the flow,” they’re being flexible and easygoing.
- “Everyone was arguing over what restaurant to go to, but I was just going with the flow. Wherever we ended up eating would have been fine with me!”
- “Family vacations can get super stressful because everyone has different ideas of the perfect plan. I just go with the flow and go wherever they tell me to!”
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Wing it “Winging it” means doing something without preparing beforehand. It could refer to things like giving a speech without practicing, taking a test without studying, or giving a performance without rehearsing.^{[5]
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- “I meant to prepare before the business presentation, but I completely ran out of time. I’m gonna have to wing it.”
- “I didn’t study at all for this midterm. I’m totally winging it.”
- “I always want to plan what I’m going to say before difficult conversations, but I usually just end up winging it.”
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Make it up as you go along Making it up as you go along essentially means improvising, or doing something without a game plan.^{[6]
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Research source} For example, if someone asks you what you want to do with your life, you could reply, “I’m not sure—I’m just making it up as I go along!” Here are a few more examples:
- “My parents were asking me what I’m planning to do with my degree. I told them I’m not sure—I’m just making it up as I go along!”
- “When I first started that job, I didn’t know what I was doing at all. I was just making it up as I went along.”