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
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
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
Whereas responsible token exchanges provide useful services, such as custody, staking, and market liquidity, reckless ones encourage bad behavior and play fast and loose with people’s money.
—Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 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
Mammals, on the other hand, rely on many complex structures and can’t afford to play fast and loose with their cellular structures.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 27 July 2023
The makers of House of Gucci were sufficiently persuaded to play fast and loose with facts when dressing Lady Gaga’s Patrizia Reggiani for her wedding in the film.
—Kerry McDermott, Glamour, 25 June 2023
There is evidence these companies play fast and loose with privacy.
—Washington Post, 4 May 2022
Markert’s sandwiches may play fast and loose with their inspirations, but the chef clearly has respect for the classics, even if his creations test your ability to pick them up with two hands.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
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.
Bill Drexel, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2023
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
Whereas responsible token exchanges provide useful services, such as custody, staking, and market liquidity, reckless ones encourage bad behavior and play fast and loose with people’s money.
—Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 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
Mammals, on the other hand, rely on many complex structures and can’t afford to play fast and loose with their cellular structures.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 27 July 2023
The makers of House of Gucci were sufficiently persuaded to play fast and loose with facts when dressing Lady Gaga’s Patrizia Reggiani for her wedding in the film.
—Kerry McDermott, Glamour, 25 June 2023
There is evidence these companies play fast and loose with privacy.
—Washington Post, 4 May 2022
Markert’s sandwiches may play fast and loose with their inspirations, but the chef clearly has respect for the classics, even if his creations test your ability to pick them up with two hands.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near play fast and loose
Cite this Entry
“Play fast and loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20fast%20and%20loose. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share