by the book
idiom
: by following the official rules very strictly
My boss insists on doing everything by the book.
Examples of by the book in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sources said Netflix execs were blown away by the book and were able to secure it thanks to their creative partnership with Berg and his Film 44, which recently reupped its longtime first-look deal with Netflix.
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
These cancellations, at the last stage of a bureaucratic journey that can last for years, have caused chaos and confusion for thousands of immigrants who did everything by the book.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 10 Dec. 2025
Michael Burry, the hedge fund manager made famous by the book The Big Short, suggested that such equipment should be written down on a faster schedule, which would seriously dent the companies’ profit growth.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025
Now, 25 years after its publication, a new edition of Reflections in Black is out, with 130 new images and an accompanying gallery show inspired by the book.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“By the book.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20the%20book. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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