Fair Definition and Meaning
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Published on June 5, 2025
Fair refers to something that is just, equitable, and free from bias. e.g., The teacher made a fair decision regarding the dispute.
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Fair Definitions
Free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice.
The judge promised a fair trial to everyone.
Moderately large; ample.
They caught a fair amount of fish today.
Neither excellent nor poor; moderately or satisfactorily good.
She received a fair grade on her exam.
Clear; sunny; fine; partly cloudy.
The forecast predicts fair weather for the weekend.
(of wind) Favorable for the course of a vessel.
The sailors hoped for a fair wind to help them on their journey.
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Directly; straight.
He hit the ball fair and square.
Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.
Light in color, especially blond
Fair hair.
Of light complexion
Fair skin.
Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny
Fair skies.
Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure
One's fair name.
Promising; likely
We're in a fair way to succeed.
Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial
A fair mediator.
Just to all parties; equitable
A compromise that is fair to both factions.
Being in accordance with relative merit or significance
She wanted to receive her fair share of the proceeds.
Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics
A fair tactic.
Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory
Gave only a fair performance of the play.
In fair health.
Superficially true or appealing; specious
Don't trust his fair promises.
Lawful to hunt or attack
Fair game.
(Archaic) Free of all obstacles.
In a proper or legal manner
Playing fair.
Directly; straight
A blow caught fair in the stomach.
To join (pieces) so as to be smooth, even, or regular
Faired the aircraft's wing into the fuselage.
(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
We attended the annual book fair.
An exhibition of home or farm products and skills, usually with competitions and entertainments
My pumpkin won first prize at the county fair.
An exhibition intended to inform people about a product or business opportunity
A computer fair.
A job fair.
An event, usually for the benefit of a charity or public institution, including entertainment and the sale of goods; a bazaar
A church fair.
Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
Monday's child is fair of face.
There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.
Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.
One's fair name
After scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.
Light in color, pale, particularly with regard to skin tone but also referring to blond hair.
She had fair hair and blue eyes.
Just, equitable.
He must be given a fair trial.
Adequate, reasonable, or decent, but not excellent.
Their performance has been only fair.
The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.
Favorable to a ship's course.
Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.
A fair sky;
A fair day
Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.
A fair mark;
In fair sight;
A fair view
(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).
When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?
(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.
A fair white linen cloth.
Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.
Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made.
Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.
The northern people large and fair-complexioned.
Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; - said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day.
You wish fair winds may waft him over.
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.
The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged.
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.
When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty.
Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.
Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.
The news is very fair and good, my lord.
Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.
Fairness, beauty.
A fair woman; a sweetheart.
I have found out a gift for my fair.
Good fortune; good luck.
Now fair befall thee !
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.
Meet me in St. Louis, LouisMeet me at the fairDon't tell me the lights are shiningAnyplace but there.
To make fair or beautiful.
Fairing the foul.
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;
World fair
Trade fair
Book fair
A competitive exhibition of farm products;
She won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair
A sale of miscellany; often for charity;
The church bazaar
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;
A fair referee
Fair deal
On a fair footing
A fair fight
By fair means or foul
Showing lack of favoritism;
The cold neutrality of an impartial judge
More than adequate in quality;
Fair work
Not excessive or extreme;
A fairish income
Reasonable prices
Visually appealing;
Our fair city
Very pleasing to the eye;
My bonny lass
There's a bonny bay beyond
A comely face
Young fair maidens
(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;
He hit a fair ball over the third base bag
Of no exceptional quality or ability;
A novel of average merit
Only a fair performance of the sonata
In fair health
The caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average
The performance was middling at best
Attractively feminine;
The fair sex
(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;
Fair copy
A clean manuscript
Free of clouds or rain;
Today will be fair and warm
(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored;
A fair complexion
In conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;
They played fairly
In a fair evenhanded manner;
Deal fairly with one another
Legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules.
It was a fair fight between the two boxers.
Favorable; promising.
The morning has a fair chance of sunshine.
Beautiful; attractive.
She is considered very fair in her hometown.
Light in color, as hair or complexion.
His fair hair was noticeable in the crowd.
Fair Snonyms
Equitable
Fair and impartial.
An equitable solution was found for the division of property.
Square
Honest and straightforward.
They settled the deal on square terms.
Impartial
Treating all rivals or disputants equally.
The umpire is known for being impartial.
Unbiased
Showing no prejudice for or against something; impartial.
The review was unbiased and fair.
Reasonable
Fair and sensible.
The terms of the agreement seem reasonable to both parties.
Just
Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.
The just decision was respected by all parties involved.
Honest
Free of deceit; truthful and sincere.
An honest answer is always appreciated.
Objective
Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.
Her objective analysis won praise.
Neutral
Not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; impartial.
The mediator remained neutral throughout the discussions.
Blonde
Light-colored hair or complexion (specifically for 'fair' in the context of appearance).
The child's blonde hair shimmered in the sun.
Fair Idioms & Phrases
Fair shake
A fair chance or treatment.
Everyone deserves a fair shake at the competition.
Fair and square
In an honest and straightforward manner.
He won the game fair and square.
Fair game
Legitimate target for criticism or attack.
Politicians are often considered fair game by comedians.
No fair
An expression used to claim something is unjust.
No fair! she cried when her brother took the last piece of cake.
Fair weather friend
Someone who is a friend only when the situation is pleasant.
He proved to be a fair-weather friend when he disappeared during hard times.
Fair's fair
Used to assert that a particular action or decision is just and reasonable.
Fair's fair, he should get another chance to prove himself.
Fair play
Respectful and considerate treatment of others.
The coach always taught his players the importance of fair play.
Fair enough
Acceptable or satisfactory.
You want to wait until tomorrow? Fair enough.
A fair crack of the whip
An opportunity to participate or compete on equal terms.
Everyone will get a fair crack of the whip in this tournament.
In all fairness
Speaking with impartiality or justice.
In all fairness, both sides have valid points.
By fair means or foul
Achieving something by any means necessary, whether ethically or not.
He was determined to win by fair means or foul.
Turn fair
Become favorable.
The weather turned fair just in time for the picnic.
Fair to middling
Average in quality or performance.
The performance was fair to middling, not the best we've seen.
Fair and softly
Gently and cautiously.
Go fair and softly, or you'll scare the birds away.
A fair deal
An arrangement that is just and equitable.
The union believes this contract is a fair deal for its members.
Set fair
Likely to succeed or be favorable.
With all the preparations done, we're set fair for the event.
Fair and aboveboard
Open and honest.
The negotiations were fair and aboveboard, with nothing to hide.
As fair as a star
Very beautiful.
She looked as fair as a star in her wedding dress.
Fair-haired boy
A person who is especially favored or well-regarded.
He's the fair-haired boy of the department, always getting the best assignments.
Fair Example Sentences
The teacher strives to be fair to all students.
He has fair skin that burns easily in the sun.
The deal seemed fair to both parties involved.
The competition was tough, but the judging was fair.
The sailors set sail with a fair wind behind them.
The book received fair reviews, with critics neither raving nor complaining.
Fair and equal access to education is essential.
They received a fair amount of support from the community.
Her fair hair was the envy of her classmates.
She always plays fair, never cheating or bending the rules.
They hoped for fair weather for their wedding day.
His fair offer was accepted without negotiation.
The company was praised for its fair treatment of employees.
His proposal was fair and warranted serious consideration.
She was considered fair by everyone who met her.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called fair?
"Fair" comes from the Old English "fæger," meaning beautiful, but evolved to mean just, equitable, or in accordance with rules.
How do we divide fair into syllables?
Fair is a single syllable word, so it is not divided.
What is a stressed syllable in fair?
The entire word "fair" is stressed, as it consists of only one syllable.
How many syllables are in fair?
There is 1 syllable in "fair."
What is the pronunciation of fair?
Fair is pronounced as /feər/ in American English and /fɛər/ in British English.
What is the root word of fair?
The root word of "fair" is the Old English "fæger," meaning lovely, beautiful, or pleasant.
What is the verb form of fair?
Fair does not have a traditional verb form. "Fair" is primarily used as an adjective or noun.
How is fair used in a sentence?
Fair is often used as an adjective to describe something that is just, equitable, beautiful, or in accordance with the rules. e.g., The judges made a fair decision.
What is the singular form of fair?
The singular form is "fair."
What is the opposite of fair?
The opposite of fair (in the context of justice) is "unfair"; in terms of color, it might be "dark."
Is fair a collective noun?
Fair is not typically considered a collective noun.
Is the word “fair” a direct object or an indirect object?
"Fair" can be a direct object when used as a noun (e.g., "We attended the fair"), but this is context-dependent.
Is fair an adverb?
Fair is not typically used as an adverb.
Is fair a vowel or consonant?
The word fair begins with a consonant sound.
What is the plural form of fair?
The plural form can be "fairs" when referring to events or gatherings.
Is fair a negative or positive word?
Fair is generally considered a positive word.
Is the fair term a metaphor?
"Fair" can be used metaphorically to describe something that is just or beautiful beyond its literal sense.
Is the word fair a gerund?
Fair is not a gerund; it does not have a verb form that ends in -ing.
What part of speech is fair?
"Fair" is primarily used as an adjective but can also be a noun in contexts like "a fair" (a gathering or market).
What is another term for fair?
Another term for "fair" could be "just" or "equitable."
Is fair a noun or adjective?
Fair is both an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.
Is the word fair imperative?
Fair is not used in the imperative mood.
Which determiner is used with fair?
Determiners like "a," "the," "this," "that," "my," can be used with fair, depending on the context.
Which conjunction is used with fair?
Conjunctions are not specifically used with "fair" more than any other word; it depends on the sentence structure.
Which article is used with fair?
Both "a" and "the" can be used with fair, depending on whether it is being used in a definite or indefinite context.
Is fair an abstract noun?
When used as a noun (in contexts like "at the fair"), it is not abstract; as an adjective, it describes abstract concepts like fairness.
Is fair a countable noun?
When used as a noun referring to events, "fair" is countable (e.g., trade fairs).
Which vowel is used before fair?
The vowel or article used before "fair" depends on the context, not a specific rule.
Which preposition is used with fair?
Prepositions such as "to" (go to the fair), "at" (look fair at someone), and "in" (fair in love and war) can be used with fair.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
