fair play
noun
: equitable or impartial treatment : justice
… a country that reveres fair play both on the sports field and off …—
Bob Johnstone
Bob JohnstoneTurnabout is fair play, of course: Gossips should get gossiped about.—Andrew Ferguson
Andrew FergusonExamples of fair play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet, as algorithms begin suggesting shots, the contours of fair play blur.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The new structure of the club was still taking shape, and financial fair play rules limited what Juventus could do in the summer.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Their presence supported fair play across hundreds of matches.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Referee Dan Schachner returns for his 15th year to oversee the action, ensuring fair play as these furry athletes compete for championship glory and their forever homes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fair play
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The new structure of the club was still taking shape, and financial fair play rules limited what Juventus could do in the summer.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Their presence supported fair play across hundreds of matches.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Referee Dan Schachner returns for his 15th year to oversee the action, ensuring fair play as these furry athletes compete for championship glory and their forever homes.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fair play
Cite this Entry
“Fair play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fair%20play. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
