play it straight
No tricks here
To play it straight is to behave honestly and without deception, or to deliver something seriously rather than for laughs.
A comedian who plays it straight sets up a joke without telegraphing the punchline.
In negotiations, playing it straight means dealing fairly: I'll play it straight with you—here's exactly what we can offer.
The phrase often implies resisting the temptation to be clever or manipulative.
Accurate and sincere
- candidHonest and direct
- sincereGenuinely felt, not feigned
- forthrightDirectly honest in manner
- genuineTruly what it claims
transparent · upfront · direct · frank · honest · plainspoken · no-nonsense · aboveboard
Sincerely intense in purpose
- solemnSerious and dignified
- graveSerious and worrying
- deadpanExpressionless, especially for humor
- poker-facedShowing no emotion
stone-faced · unironic · humorless · dry · matter-of-fact · composed · restrained · measured
truthful
Accurate and sincere
- candidHonest and direct
- sincereGenuinely felt, not feigned
- forthrightDirectly honest in manner
genuine · transparent · upfront · direct · frank · honest · plainspoken · no-nonsense · aboveboard · level
earnest
Sincerely intense in purpose
poker-faced · stone-faced · unironic · humorless · dry · matter-of-fact · composed · restrained · measured · unflinching
play it straightdeceive
Cause false belief
lie · play games · mislead · dissemble · double-deal
play it straightcheat
Act dishonestly to win
play dirty · cut corners · bend the rules · game the system · stack the deck
play, plays, played, playing, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness