having qualities which inspire hope
as long as the team keeps playing as hard as they can, they have a fair chance of winning—no matter what the scoreboard says
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
most thought his dismissal was fair since he had been given many chances to clean up his act
How does the adjective fair contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of fair are dispassionate, equitable, impartial, just, objective, and unbiased. While all these words mean "free from favor toward either or any side," fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests.
a fair decision
When is dispassionate a more appropriate choice than fair?
The words dispassionate and fair can be used in similar contexts, but dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment.
a dispassionate summation of the facts
How are the words equitable and just related as synonyms of fair?
Equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned.
the equitable distribution of the property
Where would impartial be a reasonable alternative to fair?
The meanings of impartial and fair largely overlap; however, impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice.
an impartial third party
When would just be a good substitute for fair?
The words just and fair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.
a just settlement of territorial claims
In what contexts can objective take the place of fair?
While in some cases nearly identical to fair, objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings.
I can't be objective about my own child
When can unbiased be used instead of fair?
In some situations, the words unbiased and fair are roughly equivalent. However, unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice.
your unbiased opinion
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fair
Adjective
The unrest comes on the eve of Art Basel Paris this week, sparking concerns about the impact this may have on the fair and a packed week of art events throughout the city.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
19 Oct. 2026 So, of course, questions about Steichen's job status are fair.—
Armando Salguero Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2026
Noun
The fair was organized through a partnership involving Southside Works, the Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency, Emmaus House, Per Scholas, STRIVE Atlanta and Gangstas to Growers.—
Jamal Goss,
CBS News,
15 Oct. 2026 Lee’s investigation takes him to 4H fairs and on horseback rides, and acquaints him with a rich tapestry of strong personalities.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Seniors, stacks and stories Seniors, 55 and older, can enjoy a free pancake breakfast and a community resource fair sponsored by the Milwaukee North Sunrise Rotary Club.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2026 Special events Each year, the state fair organizes a slate of special events, and this year is no exception.—Sacbee.com,
16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fair
The Olympia, Washington songwriter known for underground rap production pivots to sunny, nostalgic power-pop with distinct affection for the college-rock era.
—
Jeff Yerger,
Pitchfork,
19 Oct. 2026
The sunny front porch, which overlooks a community fountain and gazebo on a stretch of land that replicates a New England town green, only adds to its appeal.
Since Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform in 2022, the founder has publicly stated that his goal is to make the app’s algorithm — and people’s feeds — free of political bias and more equitable for conservative posters.
—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2026
My why for Thirteen Lune was to help to make the beauty industry more equitable and inclusive, but from the lens of a founder.
That argument became central to the administration's legal claims that the ballroom must be built.
—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Oct. 2026
Advertisement Some may hesitate to perform CPR because of legal concerns over causing injury—like rib fractures—while administering CPR, but every state has Good Samaritan laws providing protections to people who render emergency aid in good faith.
After a promising start to the potential game-tying drive in the extra frame, Tagovailoa would toss an interception to Baltimore All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton to seal Atlanta's fate.
The role of a legitimate people’s government is to level the playing field between the billionaires and the rest of us who are just trying to provide ourselves with decent, dignified lives and get ahead.
—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Oct. 2026
Like any decent strength coach, Potts and his staff hold their athletes to the consistent standard of challenging themselves.
—
PJ Green
October 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 Oct. 2026
The Panthers set up 48 yards from pay dirt and then, a handful of plays later, Young placed a beautiful pass into the hands of a wide-open Tommy Tremble for a touchdown — and also placed the nail in the game’s proverbial coffin.
—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Oct. 2026
About half of Faux’s dining room, on my visits, seemed to be occupied by the young and beautiful, perhaps strategizing, over moules bouillabaisse, when to move the party to the bar downstairs.
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