all's fair in love and war
idiom
—used to describe a situation in which people do not follow the usual rules of behavior and do things that are normally considered unfair
Sure, it was underhanded to steal his customers, but all's fair in love and war.
Examples of all's fair in love and war in a Sentence
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At the show's premiere, the actor was asked by Forbes if all's fair in love and war.
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Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
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Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“All's fair in love and war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%27s%20fair%20in%20love%20and%20war. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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