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 of fairly

• pretty
• relatively
• quite
• rather
• somewhat

Examples of fairly in a Sentence

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

Rents are projected to remain fairly steady in 2026 due to a surge in multi-family construction in 2025. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025

And then the media was slandering our dad’s name and reputation after a lifetime of being a fairly wholesome guy. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Everyone belongs to a union, ensuring they are paid fairly and never forced to work overtime. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025

The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially powerful for setting intentions around earnings, pricing your work fairly, or building security without sacrificing joy. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for fairly

• barely
• rarely
• squarely
• unfairly

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