level playing field

American  

noun

1. a state of equality; an equal opportunity.

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level playing field British  

noun

1. a situation in which none of the competing parties has an advantage at the outset of a competitive activity

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Etymology

Origin of level playing field

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

level playing field

“If we have a level playing field upon which to shoot, where we are not much more expensive than other locations, productions will come back to Los Angeles.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

"This is not a trade conflict we have chosen, but we need to respond to maintain a level playing field" between US businesses and Canadian ones, Champagne said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

It’s not a level playing field, which is why our white paper proposes enhanced revenue opportunities for the other conferences, by creating the ability to pool media rights.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

What is needed, he says, is a global level playing field – the kind of framework provided in Europe by the Emissions Trading System and past rules on sulphur in marine fuels.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

But most do not see a level playing field.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times