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
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Timed to major releases like Project Hail Mary and featuring beloved classics like Star Wars and Batman, these kits range from display-worthy collectibles to interactive builds that come to life with the new Lego Smart Brick System.—
Brittany Anas,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Feb. 2026
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Many have traded in lounge pants for long skirts, and they’re primed to become some of the most beloved looks in your cold-weather wardrobe.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Beadles’ family spoke at Clark’s sentencing hearing about the pain of not knowing what happened to their loved one, according to the DA’s office.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
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And above all, friends and loved ones are an essential component.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Padres have become an institution, playing in one of the more cherished buildings in sports.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The ritual is becoming a cherished memory in its own right.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Instead, keep your precious metal portion of your portfolio capped at 10% to more effectively allow your other investments to perform as intended.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Because in hindsight, there was a lot of luck that played into the public’s preparations for this storm, with forecasters in the uncomfortable position of rapidly ratcheting up their warnings with precious little preparation time to spare.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Appointed in all of Adler’s favorite patterns and paint colors and furnished with beloved pieces both bespoke and long-held, the end result is the embodiment of her aesthetic perspective—and a helpful place to bring potential clients.—
David Foxley,
Architectural Digest,
25 Feb. 2026
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This is probably no accident, as everyone’s current favorite style inspiration is Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy—who still defines that particular aesthetic.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Sandy Liang graced us with so much darling fashion inspo, including fluffy heels that look like bunny slippers.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
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The darling Swiss-dot design creates visual intrigue, while the flowy sleeves and skirt allow for ample freedom of movement.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Upsimples Set of 3 5x7-Inch Photo Frames This sweet home decor deal, featuring three 5x7-inch photo frames, comes out to $3 apiece.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Feb. 2026
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Some unique ideas for the shower hosts include a simple candle with a sweet note, a single flower in a keepsake bud vase just for the host, or a charming cocktail napkin set.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Nia DaCosta is in that scene, who’s an old dear friend of mine and also an old dear friend of Mickey and Konrad’s.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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This is very much possible, dear reader.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fair-haired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fair-haired. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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