fair play

American  

noun

1. just and honorable treatment, action, or conduct.

   The political campaign was notably lacking in fair play.

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fair play British  

noun

1. an established standard of decency, honesty, etc

2. abidance by this standard

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fair play Idioms  

1. Conformity to established rules; upright conduct and equitable conditions. For example, The coach insists on fair play. Shakespeare used this idiom in King John (5:2): “According to the fair play of the world, let me have audience.” [Late 1500s] Also see turnabout is fair play.

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Etymology

Origin of fair play

First recorded in 1585–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fair play

“He is a passionate believer in fair play and honesty and has no room for dishonesty or deception in any aspect of life,” Barker continued.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

In 2018, he shared documents with German magazine Der Spiegel, which used them for investigations into City's finances and alleged breaches of financial fair play rules.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Opponents and officials deserve our respect and fair play.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

In the end, this is a matter of fair play and adherence to accepted norms.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

He was beginning to feel confident in Mr. Dacus’s intrinsic sense of justice and fair play; his fine, relaxed humor prescribed the mood in the room.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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Related Words

• civil rights
• coordination
• equal opportunity
• fairness
• identity
• impartiality
• parity
• tolerance

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