English Reference
Noun

playbook

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈpɫeɪbʊk/ UK /plˈeɪbʊk/ play·book UK spelling playbooks

n.a set of plans or strategies used to achieve a goal. While it started in sports, people now use it to describe business or political methods.

n.a collection of strategies, tactics, or methods used by an organization or individual to achieve a specific objective. Originally referring to a book of sports plays, it is now widely applied to corporate and political contexts.


SIMPLE

The company followed its marketing playbook to launch the new product.

CONTEXTUAL

The candidate used a familiar political playbook by focusing on economic issues during the final week of the campaign.

COMPLEX

In response to the sudden market downturn, the executive team reached for their crisis management playbook, implementing a series of pre-approved cost-cutting measures and communication protocols.

Usage

Often used metaphorically in business and politics to describe a standard set of responses or strategies.

Russia's sabotage operations seem to come from the Cold War playbook.

BBC News· 4 Sept 2026

Wizz Air’s strategy also seems to be taking heavily from the Ryanair playbook, with many routes going to Luton, one of London’s secondary airports which competes with Stansted, Ryanair’s main hub.

The Local· 3 Sept 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated