fairly
fairly
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "fairly" is /ˈfeər.li/.
fair: /ˈfeər/
ly: /li/
Word Form Variations
Adverb: fairly
Adjective: fair
Noun: fairness (singular), (no common plural for this noun sense)
Verb: (no direct verb form, though "to fair" exists with different meanings, and "fairest" is a superlative adjective)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
Fairly
To a moderate or reasonable extent; somewhat.
Synonyms: somewhat, rather, quite, moderately, reasonably
Antonyms: very, extremely, greatly, exceptionally, entirely
In a just or equitable manner, without cheating or bias.
Synonyms: justly, equitably, impartially, objectively, honestly
Antonyms: unfairly, unjustly, biasedly, partially, dishonestly
Adjective
Fair
Treating people equally without favoritism or discrimination.
Synonyms: just, equitable, impartial, unbiased, honest, objective
Antonyms: unfair, unjust, biased, prejudiced, dishonest
Of considerable or reasonable amount, extent, or quality.
Synonyms: reasonable, adequate, decent, satisfactory, passable
Antonyms: poor, inadequate, insufficient, bad
(Of hair or complexion) light in color.
Synonyms: blonde, light-skinned, pale
Antonyms: dark, brunette, swarthy
(Of weather) pleasant and clear.
Synonyms: clear, sunny, fine, pleasant, clement
Antonyms: stormy, foul, cloudy, bad
Noun
Fairness
Impartial and just treatment or behavior without favoritism or discrimination.
Synonyms: impartiality, equity, justice, honesty, objectivity
Antonyms: unfairness, injustice, bias, prejudice
Examples of Use
Books
Non-fiction: Authors often use "fairly" to qualify statements or describe moderate conditions. A science book might state, "The experiment yielded fairly consistent results" (Oxford University Press, March 2024). A biography might note that someone was "fairly well-known in their time."
Fiction: Characters might describe situations or feelings as "fairly good" or "fairly difficult." "The task seemed fairly simple at first." A narrator might describe a character as "fairly tall and slender."
Newspapers
News Articles: Journalists use "fairly" to indicate a moderate degree. "The economic outlook remains fairly stable, despite recent fluctuations" (Bloomberg, June 2025). A report on public opinion might state that "the public is fairly divided on the issue."
Sports Reports: A coach might say their team played "fairly well" despite a loss, or that the officiating was "fairly handled."
Editorials: Columnists might argue that a new policy is "fairly implemented" or that a certain outcome is "fairly predictable."
Online Publications
Product Reviews: Reviewers often describe products as "fairly easy to use" or "fairly priced." "The battery life is fairly decent for its size" (CNET, April 2024).
Blogs: Food bloggers might describe a recipe as "fairly quick to prepare." Travel blogs could suggest that a destination is "fairly accessible by public transport."
Forums/Q&A Sites: Users commonly use "fairly" to give a moderate assessment. "That's a fairly common problem with this software."
Social Media: People might comment, "I'm feeling fairly optimistic today," or "This news is fairly surprising."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Movies/TV Shows: Dialogue often includes "fairly" to temper statements. A character might say, "That's a fairly complicated situation," or "I'm fairly certain he's telling the truth."
Video Games: Game descriptions might rate difficulty as "fairly challenging." A character's statistics might be described as "fairly balanced."
Podcasts: Hosts discussing a topic might say, "It's a fairly nuanced argument," or "We've covered that fairly extensively."
Comedy: Comedians might use "fairly" to create an understated humorous effect, like "It was fairly awkward."
General Public Discourse
Conversations: In daily speech, people use "fairly" to soften or qualify remarks. "It's fairly warm outside today." "I think that's a fairly reasonable request."
Workplace: In meetings, someone might say, "The progress on the project is fairly on track," or "The workload is fairly manageable."
Education: A teacher might tell a student, "You did fairly well on the assignment, but there's room for improvement." Students might describe an exam as "fairly difficult."
Customer Service: A representative might say, "The issue should be fairly easy to resolve."
10 Quotes Using Fairly
"Life is not fairly distributed." (John F. Kennedy)
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. It is also not fairly given." (Albert Einstein)
"I have been fairly successful, and now I want to do something to give back." (Indra Nooyi)
"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. And be fairly consistent in pursuing it." (Albert Einstein)
"I believe in getting things done. The time for waiting is over. We have to act, and act fairly now." (Greta Thunberg)
"It is a universally acknowledged fact, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. It is fairly certain." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it. And it is fairly clear." (Lord Acton)
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it. This applies to most situations that are fairly complex." (Yogi Berra)
"The definition of a good movie is one that you can watch with the sound off and still know what's going on. It's fairly simple." (Alfred Hitchcock)
"I'm fairly certain that a full-grown man has never been my equal." (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Etymology
The word "fairly" comes from the Old English word "fægere" or "fægerlice," meaning "beautifully," "pleasantly," or "justly." It's directly related to "fair," which originally meant pleasing to the eye or just.
The first known use of "fairly" in English, with the meaning of "beautifully" or "pleasantly," dates back to before the 12th century. Over time, it developed the sense of "justly" or "equitably" by the 13th century, and then "moderately" or "somewhat" by the 16th century, all stemming from that original idea of something being pleasing or proper.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Fairly
Fairly well: To a reasonable or moderate extent of success or health. "She's doing fairly well after her surgery."
Fairly certain: Reasonably confident or probable. "I'm fairly certain I left my keys on the table."
Fairly good/bad: Of moderate quality, either positive or negative. "The movie was fairly good, but not amazing."
Fairly soon: In a relatively short amount of time. "We expect the results to be ready fairly soon."
Fairly evenly: Distributed or balanced in a reasonably equal way. "The votes were cast fairly evenly between the two candidates."
Fairly standard: Quite typical or ordinary. "The procedure is fairly standard for this type of repair."
Fairly accurate: Reasonably precise or correct. "His prediction was fairly accurate."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of fairly from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
