fairly
Americanadverb
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in a fair manner; justly or honestly; impartially.
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moderately; tolerably.
a fairly heavy rain.
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properly; legitimately.
a claim fairly made.
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Chiefly Southern U.S.
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The wheels fairly spun.
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He slipped off the roof and fairly broke his neck.
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Archaic. clearly; distinctly.
fairly seen.
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Obsolete. gently; softly.
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Obsolete. with respect and courtesy.
adverb
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(not used with a negative) moderately
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as deserved; justly
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(not used with a negative) positively; absolutely
the hall fairly rang with applause
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archaic clearly
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obsolete courteously
Etymology
Origin of fairly
A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at fair 1, -ly
Explanation
When you do something fairly, you treat everyone with equal consideration. Sharing a pizza fairly between six people is easy: just give each person one slice. A teacher who doesn't treat all students fairly isn't a very good teacher — and a police officer who doesn't act fairly toward all citizens is also doing a poor job. When you behave fairly, you're unbiased and impartial, and you follow the rules. You can also use this adverb to mean "to a large degree" or "reasonably." For example, you could say, "I'm fairly certain that it's going to snow again tomorrow."
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.
Bartlett said utility acquisitions are fairly straightforward and that the combination of the two companies could benefit customers, but NextEra must prove it.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Aslef has agreed to the voluntary compressed four-day week, saying it gives participating drivers an extra 35 days off a year "in return for some fairly minor changes to working conditions".
From BBC • May 18, 2026
In general, turnout in L.A. tends to be fairly low in primary elections, especially in Latino communities, Barreto said, so candidates vying for their vote need sustained outreach in Latino neighborhoods.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Speaking to reporters on Friday en route to Washington, Trump said on arms sales: "I'll make a determination over the next fairly short period of time."
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
Lady Constance rose and fairly danced around the parlor.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
