All’s fair in love and war
phrase
In certain situations, people are allowed to behave in ways that would normally be considered unacceptable.
He knew it was wrong to gossip about his best friend, but as he was interested in the same girl, he thought, all's fair in love and war.
Often appears as...
- using unfair tactics
- breaking some rules
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
In certain situations, people are allowed to behave in ways that would normally be considered unacceptable.
He knew it was wrong to gossip about his best friend, but as he was interested in the same girl, he thought, all's fair in love and war.
Often appears as...
- using unfair tactics
- breaking some rules
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Context Matters
Used in situations when someone does something unexpected or mildly inappropriate for a passionate purpose.
When she hid his phone so he wouldn't call another girl, it was like all's fair in love and war.
Pro Tip 2/3Not for Serious Wrongdoings
Doesn't justify harmful or illegal acts; context is key for this phrase's acceptability.
She felt bad about eavesdropping, yet all's fair in love and war.
Pro Tip 3/3Figurative Use
Often used figuratively to speak about competitions or rivalries in other areas of life.
They spammed social media for votes in the school election - all's fair in love and war, right?
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