fairly

adverb

fair·​ly ˈfer-lē 

1

: in a handsome manner

a table fairly set

2

obsolete

a

: in a gentle manner : quietly

b

: in a courteous manner

3

: so to speak : nearly, practically

fairly bursting with pride

4

a

: in a proper or legal manner

fairly priced stocks

b

: without bias or distortion : impartially

a story told fairly and objectively

5

: to a full degree or extent : plainly, distinctly

had fairly caught sight of him

6

: rather sense 5, moderately

a fairly easy job

Synonyms of fairly

• pretty
• relatively
• quite
• rather
• somewhat

Examples of fairly in a Sentence

It's a fairly common disease.

I told the story as fairly as possible.

He reports fairly on the issues.

He beat me fairly and squarely.

Recent Examples on the Web

Colonial and Cape Cod-style clapboard homes, with shutters and dormer windows, sit fairly close together. — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026

When the semis fall like this, according to Cramer, the drop usually lasts fairly long. — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026

Up close and personal Since Covid, Veronica Beard’s business has shifted from majority wholesale to a fairly even three-way split between wholesale, physical retail and e-commerce. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026

This is slow by human standards, but fairly fast on geological timescales, certainly quicker than plate tectonics. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fairly

• barely
• rarely
• squarely
• unfairly

Kids Definition

fairly

adverb

fair·​ly ˈfa(ə)r-lē 

ˈfe(ə)r-

1

: in a favorable manner

fairly situated

2

: in a manner of speaking : nearly

fairly bursting with pride

3

: in a fair manner : justly

treat each person fairly

4

: for the most part : rather

a fairly easy job