bend/stretch the rules
idiom
: to change or ignore rules
We cannot bend/stretch the rules just for you.
Examples of bend/stretch the rules in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The media’s worst lapse: Refusing to identify Trump as a cult leader
ESPN knew Pat McAfee would bend the rules.
—
Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
Reception for the game has been nothing short of positive as Balatro has been known to take up most of your free time, writes The Guardian, thanks to features like holographic, steel and gold versions of cards, and that fact that you're supposed to bend the rules.
—Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 26 Sep. 2024
But the bans aren’t always enforced, and students often find ways to bend the rules, like hiding phones on their laps.
—Stefanie Dazio, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Sep. 2024
Do many, if not all, of us bend the rules a little around spouses and significant others?
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bend/stretch the rules 
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Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
Reception for the game has been nothing short of positive as Balatro has been known to take up most of your free time, writes The Guardian, thanks to features like holographic, steel and gold versions of cards, and that fact that you're supposed to bend the rules.
—Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 26 Sep. 2024
But the bans aren’t always enforced, and students often find ways to bend the rules, like hiding phones on their laps.
—Stefanie Dazio, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Sep. 2024
Do many, if not all, of us bend the rules a little around spouses and significant others?
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bend/stretch the rules
Dictionary Entries Near bend/stretch the rules
Cite this Entry
“Bend/stretch the rules.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bend%2Fstretch%20the%20rules. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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