# play chicken

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/play-chicken
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

As a risky test of courage, to drive two vehicles directly toward one another in order to see which driver will swerve away first.

## Examples

- They are playing chicken with their cars on the empty road.
- The two drivers refused to slow down at the intersection, effectively playing chicken to see who would yield first.
- By refusing to compromise on the budget, the two political parties were playing chicken with the stability of the entire national economy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.