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
-
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved, multi-award-winning actor, writer and comedian died today at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Catherine O’Hara, a beloved and iconic actor known for her roles in several Christopher Guest films, Home Alone, Schitt’s Creek, and The Studio died on January 30 at the age of 71 in her home after a brief illness, a rep confirmed.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Your 8th House of Psychology hosts Mercury, whose quincunx with unstoppable Jupiter in your sign could stir up important talks about money and trust with a loved one.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Remittances from loved ones abroad, part of the vast Venezuelan diaspora, have become lifelines for many families.—
Mery Mogollon,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
History buffs can come learn more about the most cherished collections on display, such as glowing minerals.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Atlanta will be a cherished checkpoint for fans of what might be college football’s all-time most remarkable tale.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Prices for precious metals have been soaring as investors look for safer places to park their money amid threats of tariffs, still-high inflation, political strife and mountains of debt for governments worldwide.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Zhu highlighted innovations, such as the 2023 cross-border payment using digital RMB for precious metals.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Stepping out in New York, Rih wore a tiger print, wool-blend jacquard coat by Alaïa (an enduring favorite designer for Rih), and matching tiger print calf hair pumps also by the French house, with little else.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The formula is lightweight and lasts all day,, especially when paired with one of the brand’s body creams (Brazilian Bum Bum is our favorite).—
Andrea Navarro,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Outdoors, the home features a darling 80-square-foot front porch that can accommodate small outdoor furniture like rocking chairs, a bistro set, or garden bench.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Cozy floral lanterns are a darling way to spruce up your backyard, patio, or even kitchen table.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And the distribution goes far beyond the sweet-tea-loving South—Milo’s is sold in 60,000 retail locations, including 4,200 Walmarts as far as Alaska and Hawaii.—
Chloe Sorvino,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
This sweet gray boy came to us as a stray.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
So be a dear, search turf here For garbage and trash abound.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
28 Jan. 2026
-
John became a dear friend of mine and he will always be remembered as an important part of 49ers history.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fair-haired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fair-haired. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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