by the rules
idiom
: in the way that is most common, expected, and acceptable
After years of boredom, he grew tired of living by the rules.
She has always played by the rules throughout her career.
Examples of by the rules in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The organizers maintain that the band agreed to abide by the rules of the event in order to have their performance application approved in the first place.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
And Aladdin, for all its desert emptiness, plays by the rules.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
Living in a community with an association requires abiding by the rules, obligations and restrictions found in its governing declaration, which is akin to a contract that is agreed upon by all prospective buyers prior to their becoming owners and members.
—Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Others say the new American users need to learn to play by the rules of the Chinese-language app and should respect the culture of its existing users, including by using the app’s Chinese name of Xiaohongshu.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by the rules
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Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
And Aladdin, for all its desert emptiness, plays by the rules.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
Living in a community with an association requires abiding by the rules, obligations and restrictions found in its governing declaration, which is akin to a contract that is agreed upon by all prospective buyers prior to their becoming owners and members.
—Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Others say the new American users need to learn to play by the rules of the Chinese-language app and should respect the culture of its existing users, including by using the app’s Chinese name of Xiaohongshu.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by the rules
Cite this Entry
“By the rules.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20the%20rules. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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