fair

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Treating people according to the same rules, without giving an unjust advantage to one person or group.

   Grammar: Used before nouns or after linking verbs; the opposite is usually unfair.

   Patterns

   • fair to someone
   • a fair decision/trial/rule
   • be fair about something

   The referee made a fair call even though the crowd disagreed.

   Please be fair to everyone waiting in line.

   It is not fair that one team gets extra time and the other does not.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Light in color, especially describing hair or skin that is pale rather than dark.

   Grammar: Usually comes directly before the noun it describes: fair hair, not the hair is fair in most modern use.

   Patterns

   • fair hair/skin
   • fair complexion

   The child had fair hair and blue eyes.

   People with very fair skin often burn quickly in the sun.

3. 3adjectivenot comparable

   Used about weather that is dry, bright, and pleasant, without storms or heavy rain.

   Grammar: Mainly before the noun in fixed phrases like fair weather; does not usually take -er or -est.

   Patterns

   • fair weather
   • fair skies

   We set out in fair weather, with only a light breeze.

   The forecast promised fair skies for the weekend.

4. 4adjectivenot comparable

   Reasonably good or acceptable, though not excellent; of average or moderate quality.

   Grammar: Often follows a linking verb or appears before a singular noun in judgments like a fair result.

   Patterns

   • a fair result/performance
   • seem fair enough

   The meal was fair, but nothing we would travel across town for.

   Her work this term has been fair: steady, but not outstanding.

5. 5adjectivebefore a noun

   Used before an amount or size noun to mean quite large, though not exact or enormous.

   Grammar: Must come before the noun: a fair amount of time, not the amount was fair in this use.

   Patterns

   • a fair amount/number/size of something
   • a fair distance

   It takes a fair amount of patience to learn a musical instrument.

   We walked a fair distance before finding the station.

6. 6nouncountable

   A public event where people gather for rides, games, farm or craft exhibits, competitions, or buying and selling goods.

   Grammar: Regular countable noun; the plural is fairs.

   Patterns

   • a county/state fair
   • a trade/book fair
   • go to a fair

   Our town holds a small fair every autumn.

   She exhibited her photographs at a local arts fair.

   The book fair attracted teachers from across the region.

Word forms

Common combinations

fair treatment

Every employee deserves fair treatment during the review process.

a fair trial

The newspaper reported that the defendant would receive a fair trial.

a fair chance

Give the new plan a fair chance before you judge it.

fair hair

He had fair hair that turned darker as he grew older.

a fair amount of

The project required a fair amount of coordination between departments.

Synonyms and how they differ

just

Just stresses moral or legal rightness and can sound stronger or more formal than fair.

equitable

Equitable emphasizes shares or outcomes being balanced, especially when correcting inequality.

impartial

Impartial focuses on not favoring either side in a dispute, election, or competition.

reasonable

Reasonable means sensible and acceptable, but it does not always imply equal treatment.

Opposites

Word family

fairness noun

The quality of being fair or treating people equally.

fairly adverb

In a fair way; also used to mean quite or moderately in other contexts.

unfair adjective

Not fair; giving an unjust advantage or burden.

unfairly adverb

In an unfair manner.

unfairness noun

The state of being unfair.

Commonly confused: fair or fare?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fair”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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