played with fire
Tempted fate recklessly
To play with fire is to take dangerous risks, to court disaster through reckless behavior.
The metaphor is transparent: fire can warm or destroy, and those who handle it carelessly get burned.
She knew she was playing with fire when she started dating her boss.
The phrase almost always carries a warning or judgment—someone is being foolish with something that could hurt them.
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- asking for troubleBehaving in risky ways
- risk-takingAccepting possible harm
- dangerousApt to cause harm
- recklessCarelessly ignoring danger
living dangerously · temptation · gambling · high stakes · hazardous · provocation · thin ice · fallout · burned · defiance · thrill-seeking · courting disaster · regret · foolhardiness · impulsivity · punishment · brinkmanship · close call
played with fireplayed it safe
Acted to minimize risk
erred on the side of caution · hedged one's bets · stayed in one's lane · kept one's head down · colored inside the lines
played with firethought twice
play, played, playing, plays, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness