fairly

adverb

fair·​ly ˈfer-lē 

1

: in a handsome manner

a table fairly set

2

obsolete

a

: in a gentle manner : quietly

b

: in a courteous manner

3

: so to speak : nearly, practically

fairly bursting with pride

4

a

: in a proper or legal manner

fairly priced stocks

b

: without bias or distortion : impartially

a story told fairly and objectively

5

: to a full degree or extent : plainly, distinctly

had fairly caught sight of him

6

: rather sense 5, moderately

a fairly easy job

Synonyms

• enough
• kindly [chiefly Southern]
• kind of
• like
• moderately
• more or less
• pretty
• quite
• rather
• relatively
• something
• somewhat
• sort of

Example Sentences

It's a fairly common disease.

I told the story as fairly as possible.

He reports fairly on the issues.

He beat me fairly and squarely.

Recent Examples on the Web

In bankruptcies, Snyder explains, there’s a fairly simple formula to figure out how much creditors — in this case, FTX depositors — will receive. Allison Morrow, CNN, 14 Nov. 2022

Ideally the rhythm section of drums and bass keep the rhythms fairly simple and easy to latch onto, with a consistent backbeat on beats 2 and 4. Ada Tsengassistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2022

The process is fairly simple for De Bethune customers. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2022

On the surface, drug repurposing is a fairly simple concept. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Nov. 2022

The solutions are fairly simple: hydration, rest breaks, and respite from the sun. Time, 3 Nov. 2022

DeRozan’s feelings on those doubts are fairly simple. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 20 Oct. 2022

The advice for young people during a bear market is fairly simple: Keep saving, keep investing, and don’t get scared out of the markets. Ben Carlson, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2022

The concept behind the technology is fairly simple: A digital twin is a virtual copy of something that actually exists in the physical world. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022

See More

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fairly

adverb

fair·​ly ˈfa(ə)r-lē 

ˈfe(ə)r-

1

: in a favorable manner

fairly situated

2

: in a manner of speaking : nearly

fairly bursting with pride

3

: in a fair manner : justly

treat each person fairly

4

: for the most part : rather

a fairly easy job