fair game
C1-C2Primarily formal/informal written and spoken; common in journalism, political commentary, and business.
Definition
Meaning
A person or thing that is considered a legitimate or acceptable target for criticism, attack, ridicule, or exploitation, often because they are vulnerable or lack protection.
Something considered permissible or justifiable to pursue, compete for, or use; an objective or resource seen as openly available for all to contend for according to accepted rules.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always used as a singular noun phrase. The term originates from hunting, where 'game' refers to animals hunted legally in season. The 'fair' implies conformity with established rules or norms. The phrase is almost always used in the construction 'to be/consider/regard/view someone/something as fair game'. It often carries a slightly negative or aggressive connotation from the perspective of the target.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or grammatical use. Slightly more common in British political and media discourse.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Conveys a sense of justified targeting, sometimes with a hint of ruthlessness.
Frequency
Moderate frequency in both, with a small edge in British English corpus data.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] be/consider/regard/view [Object] as fair game[Object] become fair game for [Agent]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “open season (on)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe companies or markets considered viable for takeover or aggressive competition. 'With their falling profits, the company became fair game for acquisition.'
Academic
Used in ethics, politics, or media studies to discuss the legitimacy of targeting certain groups or ideas for critique. 'The philosopher argued that publicly funded institutions are fair game for public scrutiny.'
Everyday
Used when someone becomes an acceptable target for jokes or criticism. 'After his hypocritical comment, he was fair game for everyone's teasing.'
Technical
Rare. Might be used in game theory or law to describe a resource or position that is contestable under the rules.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective. It is only a noun phrase.
American English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective. It is only a noun phrase.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too complex for A2. This idiom is C1-C2 level.)
- (Too complex for B1. This idiom is C1-C2 level.)
- Politicians with outdated views are often fair game for satirical programmes.
- Once you post your personal life online, you become fair game for internet comments.
- The journalist argued that the private lives of public figures, who trade on their image, are legitimate fair game for scrutiny.
- With the new regulations waived, the state-owned enterprises were suddenly fair game for foreign investors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a FAIR (just, according to rules) hunting contest where the GAME (animal) is legally allowed to be hunted. A person who is 'fair game' is like that animal—it's considered acceptable to 'hunt' (criticise, target) them.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL INTERACTION IS HUNTING / CRITICISM IS HUNTING. The target of criticism is conceptualised as prey that hunters are permitted to pursue.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить буквально как 'честная игра'. Это ложный друг. Концепт 'fair' здесь означает 'дозволенный', 'законный', а не 'справедливый' или 'честный' по отношению к цели.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an adjective before a noun (e.g., 'a fair game target' is incorrect). It's a noun phrase, used predictively after 'be', 'consider', etc. Confusing it with the literal meaning of a 'fair game' (e.g., a justly played sports match).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'fair game' imply about the target?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. While it means 'legitimate target', the action (criticism, attack) is usually negative for the target. It can be neutral in contexts like business competition, e.g., 'The market is fair game for all.'
'Fair game' describes the status of the target. 'Open season (on)' is a more aggressive idiom focusing on the period or permission for unrestricted targeting. They are often used similarly, but 'open season' suggests a more intense, free-for-all pursuit.
No. The article is not used. The correct form is 'He was fair game' or 'He was considered fair game'. It functions as an uncountable noun phrase in this idiom.
Its origin is in hunting, not team sports. While you could literally describe a fairly played match as 'a fair game', the idiom 'fair game' (without 'a') is unrelated to sportsmanship. Be careful not to confuse the two.