fine print

American  

[fahyn] / faɪn /

noun

1. printed matter in small-sized type.

2. the detailed wording of a contract, lease, insurance policy, or the like, often set in type smaller than the main body of the document and including general restrictions or qualifications that could be considered disadvantageous.

   Make sure you read the fine print before signing.

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fine print British  

noun

1. Also called: small print.  matter set in small type, as in a contract, esp considered as containing unfavourable conditions that the signer might overlook

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Other Word Forms

• fine-print
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fine print

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

That means searching online for banks far and wide that are making an aggressive play for customers, and reading the fine print on the contract.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 10, 2026

However, the fine print means little to fans who are out thousands in non-refundable travel.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

And when you read the fine print on the slate mailer, which advises voters to “take Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ recommendations with you to vote,” it only raises more questions.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

This is only a small part of private credit, but individuals who didn’t read the fine print of semiliquid business-development companies have discovered that the promise of quarterly withdrawals comes with a cap.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

Edman’s credit default swap solved this problem with some fine print in its contracts, which specified that Morgan Stanley was buying insurance on the last outstanding loan in the pool.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis