# no harm, no foul

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/no-harm-no-foul
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Although technically a breach of some code or law may have occurred, there was no actual damage meriting punishment, apology or retribution.

## Examples

- I accidentally broke your pen, but no harm, no foul.
- You parked in my spot for a minute, but no harm, no foul.
- We missed the first bus, but the second one is here: no harm, no foul.
- You arrived ten minutes late, but since the meeting had not started yet, no harm, no foul.
- I forgot to bring the snacks I promised, but since everyone else brought plenty of food, no harm, no foul.
- The waiter brought me the wrong drink, but I liked it anyway, so I told him no harm, no foul.
- You sent the email to the wrong person, but they deleted it without reading the attachment, so no harm, no foul.
- Although the clerk processed the paperwork incorrectly, the error was caught immediately, so the manager declared no harm, no foul.

## Origin

From informal sports, in which a foul is a formal violation of the rules. The phrase suggests that if an infraction results in no material injury or disadvantage, it may be treated as though it had not occurred.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.