as in beloved
granted special treatment or attention
she had been the teacher's fair-haired pupil—the one who could do no wrong
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Recent Examples of fair-haired
Unlike the legend in Shakespeare’s Hamlet — whose rejection by the Prince of Denmark sparks her unraveling — this fair-haired singing socialite will not be losing the plot.
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Initially, instrumental music is playing, but once the band dies down, a fair-haired youth starts singing, countertenor-like.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 27 July 2025
Tempest, a fair-haired and athletic twenty-six-year-old, was from Bradford, an industrial city in northern England which was then the global capital of the wool trade.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
Legend has it that in 1327, Petrarch caught sight of a fair-haired, married woman named Laura in the church of Saint-Claire and fell head over heels, inspiring ardent daily writings of passion, anguish and ultimately despair.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
Pavan was two months shy of 18, fair-haired and lanky.
—Mari Saito, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Emma has been some fabulous version of blonde for quite some time now, interrupting her fair-haired streak with the occasional brunette detour.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 3 Feb. 2025
The replication crisis has debunked many of psychology’s fair-haired hypotheses, but for the marshmallow test, things have only become more interesting.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Initially, instrumental music is playing, but once the band dies down, a fair-haired youth starts singing, countertenor-like.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 27 July 2025
Tempest, a fair-haired and athletic twenty-six-year-old, was from Bradford, an industrial city in northern England which was then the global capital of the wool trade.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
Legend has it that in 1327, Petrarch caught sight of a fair-haired, married woman named Laura in the church of Saint-Claire and fell head over heels, inspiring ardent daily writings of passion, anguish and ultimately despair.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
Pavan was two months shy of 18, fair-haired and lanky.
—Mari Saito, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Emma has been some fabulous version of blonde for quite some time now, interrupting her fair-haired streak with the occasional brunette detour.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 3 Feb. 2025
The replication crisis has debunked many of psychology’s fair-haired hypotheses, but for the marshmallow test, things have only become more interesting.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fair-haired
Adjective
-
There is so much pleasure to be had in rereading old favorites—and part of the joy is meeting beloved characters, who have been updated or somehow arrive in a new form to resist old tropes and types.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Due to the notoriety of the locally beloved sandwich, IndyStar recently held a Tenderloin Tournament to find the establishment that serves the best tenderloin in Indiana.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But after 9/11, Tagliabue showed a different side, particularly toward league employees who had lost loved ones in the attacks.—
NPR,
NPR,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Preserving income, insurance and retirement Financial security also depends on preserving income and protecting loved ones.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Super-Italian cookbook author posted a different tribute last week for one of her cherished pets.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Similarly, some music influencers have begun piloting live-listening and album-playback sessions on Twitch—an attempt to transplant a cherished artifact of the analogue era into the digital world.—
Jonathan Garrett,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And, using a tablet will save your phone’s precious battery life for landing.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Three interior pockets keep everything organized, while the tote’s zip closure ensures your precious cargo stays secure.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Head to Amazon now to shop even more petite-friendly comfy pants, and keep scrolling to check out the rest of my favorite picks.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Shop more of my favorite winter styles from Amazon, below.—
Lauren Finney Harden,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The polished blouse is crafted from mulberry silk and spandex for a hint of stretch and has a darling tie-neck sash for extra flair.—
Ali Faccenda,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Who wouldn’t buy anything O’Connor, with his darling secret smile, tells them?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
3 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
In October 2024, Wasdin celebrated Ashmore's 45th birthday with a sweet post on Instagram.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Pats trusted their tight ends to handle Dolphins edge defenders on several occasions, and Henry did the job; not to mention his team-high five catches and sweet one-handed grab in the second quarter.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But beyond his professional accomplishments, Andy was a special person and a dear and loyal friend.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Otis… oh, sweet, dear, nerdy Otis.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fair-haired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fair-haired. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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