fairground
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of fairground
Explanation
A fairground is an open outdoor area where a fair, circus, or some other exhibition sets up temporarily. Many county fairs are put on at the same fairground for a week or two each summer. Many funnel cakes are eaten there. Most fairgrounds have space for rides like Ferris wheels and bumper cars. Agricultural fairs might also have exhibit areas where visitors can see animals, handmade items, baked goods, giant watermelons, and other impressive produce. A traveling circus or carnival might also set up on fairground. The central section of a fairground is usually called a "midway."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On the night of the quinceañera in Alice, Pulido made a second stop at a birthday party at the Jim Wells County fairground.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
A fairground train carrying children made its way through the crowd, its Christmas soundtrack drowned out by the supportive honks of cars.
From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025
"We know what our limit is and we will never exceed it: we are not fairground monkeys."
From BBC • Jul. 15, 2025
In the stream on Sunday, a man was seen asking Emiru, real name Emily Schunk, for her phone number after the three streamers got off a fairground ride.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2025
By the out gate, the fairground man was snarling at Ross Wilcox by the in gate.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
