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

Example Sentences

It is against one uniform financial fair play system.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Confronted with the rules of fair play, the reader was enjoined to solve the case alongside the detective, which required seeing through the author’s sleights of hand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

"I was in the stadium last night and we're largely a sports organisation and seeing the US team cheered as they were by the audience, fair play, that was fantastic," he added.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

“This is about the integrity of sport and code of ethics that upholds sportsmanship, fair play, integrity, respect and community,” Uhlaender said in a post on X.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026

Soon his ingenious criminal methods, coupled with his singular love of fair play, found him a warm place in the nation’s heart.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

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