idiom

Level Playing Field

LEV-ul PLAY-ing FEELD

/ˈlɛv.əl ˈpleɪ.ɪŋ fiːld/

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Syllable breakdown

Levelplayingfield

Dictionary meaning

A situation in which all competitors in trade or business operate under the same rules and conditions, without any party having an unfair advantage; commonly invoked in trade policy debates about subsidies and regulations.

History and origin

Sports metaphor applied to business/trade, widely used from the 1980s onwards

Examples

Countries accused China of not providing a level playing field for foreign companies.
The purpose of WTO rules is to create a level playing field in international trade.

Synonyms: fair competition, equal footing, fair playing field

Pronunciation tips

The field is 'level' when no party has a slope advantage — i.e., no subsidies, regulatory favoritism, or unfair advantages.

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