fairness

noun

fair·​ness ˈfer-nəs 

: the quality or state of being fair

especially : fair or impartial treatment : lack of favoritism toward one side or another

This is the real Ponzi scheme that does injury to the American promise of fairness …

—Jesse Jackson

The rules reflect the principles of procedural due process and fundamental fairness prescribed by the Constitution …

—James O. Freedman

… partisan gerrymandering has got so out of hand that it was up to the courts to restore a measure of fairness.

—Jeffrey Toobin

We are living in the harsh world invented by a handful of corporate raiders whose values are completely foreign to the fairness and moderation that had so long served as the proper foundation of American success and the American dream.

—Doris Haddock

He did poorly, but in (all) fairness [=to be fair to him], he was tired.

Synonyms

• beauty
• beautifulness
• attractiveness
• aesthetics

Examples of fairness in a Sentence

a city of incomparable fairness, Venice has enchanted travelers for centuries

fairness was certainly uppermost in the elderly woman's mind as she made arrangements for dividing the family heirlooms among her many grandchildren

Recent Examples on the Web

Protesters say there is a lack of transparency and fairness in the process of replacing tourist bus operator Consettur after its concession expired, paving the way for different local businesses to benefit from the vital industry. —CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025

Why This Matters in the Age of AI Empathy Beyond Algorithms – Emotional competence ensures thoughtful, ethical responses that promote fairness, inclusion and responsible AI adoption. —Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Getting there means building a basis of trust that is enduring and founded in common values like democracy, competition and fairness. —Dmytro Razumkov, Time, 16 Sep. 2025

Patel publicly discussed details including a recovered note and DNA links to items found at the scene — comments that analysts say risk violating Department of Justice norms on pretrial statements and could prompt motions to move venue or otherwise challenge the fairness of a trial. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fairness

• fairness doctrine

Rhymes for fairness

• bareness
• squareness
• awareness
• unfairness
• unawareness