play fair

Idioms  

1. Behave honestly and honorably, obey the rules, as in Not every supplier we deal with plays fair, or We can't just leave them to find their own way back—that's not playing fair. Although this idiom conjures up playing by the rules in some game or sport, it actually has been used in this figurative way since the mid-1400s. Also see play the game.

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Example Sentences

In America, there’s a sense that too much success in business is a bad thing, and that everyone needs to play fair.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

Can McLaren continue to play fair and stop Verstappen?

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

“Things like that just don’t play fair in our mind.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2023

She probably believes that if the rest of the world would only line up and play fair with her, then she would receive the credit and stability she believes she deserves.

From Washington Post • May 10, 2022

Then it flicked its whiskers and said, “Challenge her. There’s no guarantee she’ll play fair, but her kind of thing loves games and challenges.”

From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

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