fairly

American  

[fair-lee] / ˈfɛər li /

adverb

1. in a fair manner; justly or honestly; impartially.

2. moderately; tolerably.

   a fairly heavy rain.

3. properly; legitimately.

   a claim fairly made.

4. Chiefly Southern U.S.

   1. actually; completely.

      The wheels fairly spun.

   2. almost; practically.

      He slipped off the roof and fairly broke his neck.

5. Archaic. clearly; distinctly.

   fairly seen.

6. Obsolete. gently; softly.

7. Obsolete. with respect and courtesy.

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fairly British  

/ ˈfɛəlɪ /

adverb

1. (not used with a negative) moderately

2. as deserved; justly

3. (not used with a negative) positively; absolutely

   the hall fairly rang with applause

4. archaic clearly

5. obsolete courteously

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Etymology

Origin of fairly

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; fair ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

Guidance should be fairly balanced given the geopolitical tensions, though Nomura anticipates some saber rattling to help contain inflation expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

"I feel people here are increasingly opening up… If everything is conducted fairly, then we will be victorious."

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Despite fairly good reviews, it apparently didn’t find a big enough audience.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

De Min said he remained committed to ensuring investors who supported the project were treated fairly once the underlying disputes had been addressed.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

“Upon the honor of my name, good Rupert,” the miller said in his oily voice, “I’ve given what is fairly yours. It always seems less after the grinding.”

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• adequately
• kind of
• moderately
• quite
• rather
• reasonably