fare
Americannoun
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the price of conveyance or passage in a bus, train, airplane, or other vehicle.
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a person or persons who pay to be conveyed in a vehicle; paying passenger.
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a person who hires a public vehicle and its driver.
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hearty fare.
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something offered to the public, for entertainment, enjoyment, consumption, etc..
literary fare.
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Archaic. state of things.
verb (used without object)
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to experience good or bad fortune, treatment, etc.; get on.
He fared well in his profession.
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to go; turn out; happen (used impersonally).
It fared ill with him.
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to go; travel.
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to eat and drink.
They fared sumptuously.
noun
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the sum charged or paid for conveyance in a bus, train, aeroplane, etc
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a paying passenger, esp when carried by taxi
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a range of food and drink; diet
verb
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to get on (as specified); manage
he fared well
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to turn out or happen as specified
it fared badly with him
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archaic to eat
we fared sumptuously
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archaic (often foll by forth) to go or travel
Related Words
See food.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fare
First recorded before 1000; Middle English faren, Old English faran; cognate with German fahren, Old Norse fara, Gothic faran; akin to emporium, port 5, pram 2
Explanation
It's not fair that fare means three unrelated things. As a verb, it means to proceed or get along, as in "Fare thee well." As a noun, it can refer to the cost of travel ("Train fare is ten dollars") or to food ("Tatertots are typical cafeteria fare"). Although this word has multiple meanings, they can all be traced back to the Old English root for "journey." If you’re taking a trip, fare well! If you do fare well, you'll have a great time. A taxi looking for a fare might give you a ride to the airport (though you'll have to pay the fare). And if you didn’t bring your own food, you’ll have to eat airplane fare. Fare is a handy word to bring on a journey!
Vocabulary lists containing fare
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"The Civil Rights Movement"
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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.
But we all know summer fare like this is only ever as enjoyable as the monsters conjured up for conquering.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
“I was able to secure my client a $588 airline credit simply because I knew the fare had significantly decreased after purchase, due to a Google Flight alert,” she said.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Publishers say certain types of books still fare well—including celebrity memoirs and religious titles.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Lighter fare came from a Londoner - albeit one representing Cyprus.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
It showed an airplane flying over the rooftops, and a cheap fare to Boston, under the slogan, “We Bring the World to You.”
From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers
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.
