play fast and loose
idiom
: to behave in a clever and dishonest way
—usually + with
He was accused of playing fast and loose with the truth.
reporters playing fast and loose with the facts
Examples of play fast and loose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump and Xi are visiting misfortune upon the downtrodden, expect all of their policies to be defended by vocal loyalists, and play fast and loose with economic data.
—
Vincent Ni, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Hostage ends on a definitive note, but creator Matt Charman's willingness to play fast and loose with its title allows for ample freedom in crafting a potential follow-up season.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Lee has been known to play fast and loose on his @BasedMikeLee feed at times.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 22 July 2025
But along the way, the powers that be began to play fast and loose with continuity.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Private bill For Americans sick of watching companies play fast and loose with their personal data, relief could be on the way.
—Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Doing so would expose him to prosecutors who won't pull punches in their effort not only to convict him but also to use him as an example of what can happen when people in the crypto world play fast and loose with the law.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2023
Little accountability for mistakes means that business owners tend to play fast and loose with safety, as evidenced by China’s grisly history of industrial accidents.
—Bill Drexel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2023
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Vincent Ni, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Hostage ends on a definitive note, but creator Matt Charman's willingness to play fast and loose with its title allows for ample freedom in crafting a potential follow-up season.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Lee has been known to play fast and loose on his @BasedMikeLee feed at times.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 22 July 2025
But along the way, the powers that be began to play fast and loose with continuity.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Private bill For Americans sick of watching companies play fast and loose with their personal data, relief could be on the way.
—Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Doing so would expose him to prosecutors who won't pull punches in their effort not only to convict him but also to use him as an example of what can happen when people in the crypto world play fast and loose with the law.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2023
Little accountability for mistakes means that business owners tend to play fast and loose with safety, as evidenced by China’s grisly history of industrial accidents.
—Bill Drexel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Play fast and loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20fast%20and%20loose. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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