Entry Word: fair

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 not stormy or cloudy <we prayed for fair weather during our vacation at the beach>

Synonyms clear, cloudless, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded

Related Words balmy, clement, gentle, mild, temperate; calm, halcyon, peaceful, placid, tranquil; fine, pleasant

Near Antonyms harsh, inclement, severe; blustering, blustery, breezy, gusty; foggy, hazy, misty

Antonyms bleak, cloudy, dirty, foul, nasty, overcast, rainy, raw, rough, squally, stormy, sunless

2 marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias <a commanding officer who enjoyed the respect of his soldiers because his decisions were always fair>

Synonyms disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, impartial, just, nonpartisan, objective, square, unbiased, unprejudiced

Related Words candid, frank, forthright, open, straightforward; balanced, rational, reasonable

Near Antonyms deceitful, deceptive, dishonest; arbitrary, unconscionable, unreasonable

Antonyms biased, inequitable, partisan, prejudiced, unequal, unjust

3 following or according to the rules <a hockey player who is respected for his fair play>

Synonyms clean, legal, sportsmanlike, sportsmanly

Related Words just, law-abiding; ethical, moral, principled; honorable, irreproachable, unimpeachable

Near Antonyms immoral, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous

Antonyms dirty, foul, nasty, unfair, unsportsmanlike

4 of light complexion <fair people tend to sunburn easily>

Synonyms light

Related Words ashen, pale, pallid, pasty, peaked, sallow, wan, white

Antonyms black, brunet (or brunette), dark, swarthy

5 having qualities which inspire hope <as long as the team keeps playing as hard as they can, they have a fair chance of winning—no matter what the scoreboard says> — see hopeful 1
6 of a pale yellow or yellowish brown color <the abundance of people with fair hair in Scandinavia> — see blond
7 of average to below average quality <for what they charged us, the painters should have done better than a fair job of painting the house> — see mediocre 1
8 very pleasing to look at <generally considered the fairest girl in town, she had no lack of boyfriends> — see beautiful