fair 1 of 3

adjective

ˈfer How to pronounce fair (audio)
Definition of fairnext
1
as in sunny
not stormy or cloudy we prayed for fair weather during our vacation at the beach

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2
as in equitable
marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias a commanding officer who enjoyed the respect of his soldiers because his decisions were always fair

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3
as in legal
following or according to the rules a hockey player who is respected for his fair play

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4
as in pale
of light complexion fair people tend to sunburn easily

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5
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope as long as the team keeps playing as hard as they can, they have a fair chance of winning—no matter what the scoreboard says

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6
as in blonde
of a pale yellow or yellowish brown color the abundance of people with fair hair in Scandinavia

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7
as in decent
of average to below average quality for what they charged us, the painters should have done better than a fair job of painting the house

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8
as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at generally considered the fairest girl in town, she had no lack of boyfriends

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9
as in unconditional
having no exceptions or restrictions it would take a fair miracle for that project to be finished on time

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10
as in deserved
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong most thought his dismissal was fair since he had been given many chances to clean up his act

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11
as in pristine
free from dirt or stain a handwritten thank-you letter requires nothing less than a sheet of fair white paper

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fair

2 of 3

noun

as in exhibit
a public showing of objects of interest a dazzling array of sleek cabin cruisers at the annual boat fair

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fair

3 of 3

adverb

1
as in legally
according to the rules or the law we expect everyone on this basketball court to play fair

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2
as in almost
chiefly British very close to but not completely it fair takes your breath away when you find out what properties in London are going for

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fair contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fair are dispassionate, equitable, impartial, just, objective, and unbiased. While all these words mean "free from favor toward either or any side," fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests.

a fair decision

When is dispassionate a more appropriate choice than fair?

The words dispassionate and fair can be used in similar contexts, but dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment.

a dispassionate summation of the facts

How are the words equitable and just related as synonyms of fair?

Equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned.

the equitable distribution of the property

Where would impartial be a reasonable alternative to fair?

The meanings of impartial and fair largely overlap; however, impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice.

an impartial third party

When would just be a good substitute for fair?

The words just and fair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.

a just settlement of territorial claims

In what contexts can objective take the place of fair?

While in some cases nearly identical to fair, objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings.

I can't be objective about my own child

When can unbiased be used instead of fair?

In some situations, the words unbiased and fair are roughly equivalent. However, unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice.

your unbiased opinion

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fair
Adjective
They were listed in fair condition, authorities added. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 Expo Idaho is located at 5610 N. Glenwood St. Advance tickets to the fair cost the same price as last year: $10 adult, $9 senior 62 and older, $8 child ages 6 to 11. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
At the fair, there will be a viewing room dedicated to the hundreds of skills involved in making a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. —Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025 Little that came out over the weekend, as the fair wrapped up its public days, and the major auction houses held coinciding sales, suggested a dramatically different assessment. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Jobs time Hiring signage displayed at a job and resource fair hosted by the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board in partnership with NCWorks in Hendersonville, North Carolina, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. —Michele Luhn, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2024 Art Miami tickets get you into CONTEXT Art Miami, its sister fair focused on emerging and mid-career artists. —Martin Vassolo, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for fair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fair
  1. sunny
  2. equitable
  3. legal
  4. pale
  5. promising
  6. decent
  7. beautiful
  8. unconditional
Adjective
  • Fans have speculated that since the first three seasons were all set in a sunny locale, the upcoming season could switch things up by spending time at a White Lotus resort in a cooler climate.
    — Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Mostly sunny skies are expected in Central Florida on Sunday, Spectrum News 13 meteorologist Zach Covey said.
    — Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of sunny
Adjective
  • When equipped with innovative technology and supported by local health facilities, Village Health Workers play an indispensable role in meeting the primary care needs of their communities and advancing equitable care for children living with NCDs in Zimbabwe.
    — Cynthia Tully, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • What Doctors Can Do to Address the Inequities Healthcare providers can support patients of color by addressing their own implicit biases, working to help patients navigate equitable access to treatments, and using culturally sensitive communication, says Hurtado-Lorenzo.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of equitable
Adjective
  • American history itself documents the shifting boundaries of racial categories, a legal as well as a social status in the United States.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Depardieu’s trial is only the latest in a series of #MeToo scandals and legal challenges that have rocked the French film world over the past few years, resulting in a sea change that feels long overdue for many industrial professionals.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of legal
Adjective
  • The horizon is low and the pale blue sky occupies most of the monumental canvas.
    — Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The pool of money is far less — $15 million. Between the lines: These basketball earnings pale compared with how much football programs are paid.
    — Analis Bailey, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • One of the most promising applications is workforce assistance, particularly in industries facing labor shortages, such as healthcare.
    — Melody Brue, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The bottom of the Jezero Crater – believed to have formed 3.9 billion years ago from a massive impact – is considered to be among the most promising areas on Mars to search for evidence of ancient life.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of promising
Adjective
  • Both of these teams are off to decent starts, as Detroit leads the AL Central and the Yanks have, ahem, torpedoeed their way to a 6-5 record thus far.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • At least, thanks to a decent selection of ports, both machines will easily work with the usual Mac accessories, and both models are outfitted with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • Scrim's adventures were a national hit, and now they've been transformed into a beautiful picture book.
    — American Booksellers Association, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
  • What began as refuges from racial discrimination, old English boozers run by South Asian immigrants serving the food of their homelands, have become a distinct part of the city’s culinary fabric, beloved institutions where British ales and Indian curries exist in beautiful synergy.
    — Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of beautiful
Adjective
  • While Ukraine agreed to all U.S. proposals for an unconditional ceasefire and subsequently agreed to plans for a smaller-scale maritime ceasefire, the Russians laid out last week a series of new demands, including the lifting of some U.S. sanctions.
    — Barak Ravid, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The themes of the game were unconditional love and revenge, which is in line with the series as well.
    — Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of unconditional

Phrases Containing fair

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faints
fair
fair-haired
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Cite this Entry

“Fair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fair. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fair

Nglish: Translation of fair for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fair

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