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
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Recent Examples of fair
Adjective
The fair’s 24th edition will bring together exhibitors from 63 cities in 27 countries, with 45 of them participating for the first time.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
3 Aug. 2026 But, to be fair to men, the old standards of success have become harder to achieve.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
3 Aug. 2026
Noun
But while trends come and go, some foods at the fair have been feeding crowds for generations.—
Anne Ewbank,
Sacbee.com,
30 July 2026 The fair takes place the same week as the Aspen Art Museum’s popular ArtCrush gala and AIR, the museum’s new art and culture festival (look out for Andy Battaglia’s report for Art in America).—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
30 July 2026
Adverb
Broward voters have the right to elect candidates who are fighting fair on as equal a playing field as possible.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026 The committee for the career fair chose Beckwith as a speaker who would discuss the state of the economy in Indiana, McCall said.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fair
Minka Kelly is ravishing in red while enjoying a sunny day in New York on July 20.
—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
21 July 2026
From the Main Stage to sunny days on Sesame Street, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 11 winner Crystal Methyd‘s colorful rainbow of a reign is already off to an eclectic roster of places.
On a mission to build a more equitable food system, Kanbe’s Market is taking items typically thrown out and making them into accessible, affordable meals for families.
—
Zuri Primos
July 28,
Kansas City Star,
28 July 2026
Creating new powerful unions for the 21st century Direct payouts might not be the only way to achieve a more equitable data sourcing process, however.
Her long white hair, normally collected in a bun, trailed down past her shoulders in smooth, pale waves.
—
Rachel Yoder,
New Yorker,
2 Aug. 2026
This is a place to order something sparkly—maybe the Broadway 75, a pale pink French 75 riff—to sip at the circular bar, or ensconced in the velvet banquette seats.
That means keeping Buxton happy, which means keeping Ryan and adding on, not trading him and two of their most promising pitching prospects.
—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
30 July 2026
The Carolina Panthers had originally thought that their promising rookie wide receiver would be back for the bulk of the 2026 season after suffering a knee injury on Wednesday.
As time passes, the kills have to get more inventive to sustain the level of suspense required for a decent sized group of people to be in fear of their lives for a prolong period of time.
—
Sabrina Reed,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2026
These are fine principles, the bedrock of any decent society.
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