Adequate vs. Fair — What's the Difference?

Satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity

A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.

Sufficient to satisfy a requirement or meet a need.

Treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination

Equal to or fulfilling some requirement.

(of hair or complexion) light; blonde

A sufficient amount of; enough.

Considerable though not outstanding in size or amount

(obsolete) To equalize; to make adequate.

(of weather) fine and dry

(obsolete) To equal.

Beautiful

Equal to some requirement; proportionate, or correspondent; fully sufficient; as, powers adequate to a great work; an adequate definition.

Without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage

To equalize; to make adequate.

To a high degree

To equal.

A beautiful woman

(sometimes followed by `to') meeting the requirements especially of a task;

A gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment

Enough to meet a purpose;

A periodic gathering for the sale of goods.

About average; acceptable;

(of the weather) become fine

Streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings

Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.

Light in color, especially blond

Of light complexion

Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny

Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure

Promising; likely

Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial

Just to all parties; equitable

Being in accordance with relative merit or significance

Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics

Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory

Superficially true or appealing; specious

Lawful to hunt or attack

(Archaic) Free of all obstacles.

In a proper or legal manner

Directly; straight

To join (pieces) so as to be smooth, even, or regular

(Archaic) A beautiful or beloved woman.

(Obsolete) Loveliness; beauty.

A gathering for the buying and selling of goods, often held at a particular time and place; a market

An exhibition of home or farm products and skills, usually with competitions and entertainments

An exhibition intended to inform people about a product or business opportunity

An event, usually for the benefit of a charity or public institution, including entertainment and the sale of goods; a bazaar

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.

Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.

Light in color, pale, particularly with regard to skin tone but also referring to blond hair.

Just, equitable.

Adequate, reasonable, or decent, but not excellent.

Favorable to a ship's course.

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.

(shipbuilding) Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

(baseball) Between the baselines.

Taken direct from an opponent's foot, without the ball touching the ground or another player.

Not a no ball.

(statistics) Of a coin or die, having equal chance of landing on any side, unbiased.

Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).

(obsolete) A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.

(obsolete) Fairness, beauty.

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

(obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.

A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.

An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.

An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.

A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

(transitive) To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).

(transitive) To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).

To make an animation smooth, removing any jerkiness.

(transitive) To construct or design with the aim of producing a smooth outline or reducing air drag or water resistance.

To make fair or beautiful.

Clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably

Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure.

Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.

Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; - said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day.

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unincumbered; open; direct; - said of a road, passage, etc.; as, a fair mark; in fair sight; a fair view.

Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; - said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

Characterized by frankness, honesty, impartiality, or candor; open; upright; free from suspicion or bias; equitable; just; - said of persons, character, or conduct; as, a fair man; fair dealing; a fair statement.

Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; - said of words, promises, etc.

Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.

Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.

Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.

Fairness, beauty.

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

Good fortune; good luck.

A gathering of buyers and sellers, assembled at a particular place with their merchandise at a stated or regular season, or by special appointment, for trade.

A festival, and sale of fancy articles. erc., usually for some charitable object; as, a Grand Army fair; a church fair.

A competitive exhibition of wares, farm products, etc., not primarily for purposes of sale; as, the Mechanics' fair; an agricultural fair.

An exhibition by a number of organizations, including governmental organizations, for the purpose of acquainting people with such organizations or their members, not primarily for commercial purposes; as, the 1939 World's Fair.

To make fair or beautiful.

To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines.

A traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.

Gathering of producers to promote business;

A competitive exhibition of farm products;

A sale of miscellany; often for charity;

Join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

Free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; or conforming with established standards or rules;

Showing lack of favoritism;

More than adequate in quality;

Not excessive or extreme;

Visually appealing;

Very pleasing to the eye;

(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;

Of no exceptional quality or ability;

Attractively feminine;

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;

Free of clouds or rain;

(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored;

In conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;

In a fair evenhanded manner;