fair game
The phrase "fair game" is often used to describe targets or actions that are considered acceptable to pursue, criticize, or engage with, especially within certain rules or norms.
Definition
B2General
(informal)Someone or something that can be criticized, attacked, or mocked without ethical constraints.
Example
- Celebrities are often considered fair game for tabloids and public scrutiny.
B2General
(informal)A goal or object that can be pursued or targeted without restrictions.
Example
- In a competitive job market, any open position is fair game for applicants.
B2Games and Sports
(informal)Actions that are allowed or acceptable within a set of rules or norms.
Example
- In the game, pretending to be slow was considered fair game.
C1Scientology
(technical)A policy where perceived enemies of the Church can be targeted for retaliation without any protection from the Church's ethics.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "fair game":
fair playfair and squarefair gofair crack of the whipfair sharefair enoughno fairabove boardset fairfair tradegood sportfair dinkumturnabout is fair playfair suck of the sauce bottlestandard faregood faithfoul playopen season