fairly
13 synonyms and 1 antonym for fairly, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adv — To a moderate or reasonable extent; quite.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use fairly
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
fairly well
fairly certain
treat fairly
Etymology
Came from Middle English fayrly, fayrely, vayrliche, equivalent to fair plus -ly.
Full origin of fairly →Frequently asked questions
What does “fairly” mean?
The word “fairly” means to a moderate or reasonable extent; quite. In plain terms, either "moderately/quite" or "in a fair, just way," depending on context.
How do you pronounce “fairly”?
“Fairly” is pronounced FEH-uh-lee (/ˈfɛɹ.li/ in IPA).
How do you use “fairly” in a sentence?
Here is “fairly” used in a sentence: “The test was fairly difficult.”
What part of speech is “fairly”?
“Fairly” is an adverb.
Is “fairly” a common word?
“Fairly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “fairly” have?
“Fairly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to a moderate or reasonable extent; quite.
What is the difference between 'fairly' and 'very'?
'Fairly' signals a moderate degree, more than a little but well short of the maximum. 'Very' pushes toward the high end. Something 'fairly good' is decent and acceptable; something 'very good' is excellent. Speakers often use 'fairly' to hedge, softening a judgement rather than committing to a strong one.
Does 'fairly' also mean 'in a fair way'?
Yes, that is a separate sense. When you 'treat people fairly' or 'play fairly,' the word means justly, honestly, and without bias. In the sense defined here, as in 'fairly warm' or 'fairly certain,' it instead marks degree, meaning 'moderately.' Context makes clear which meaning applies, and the two rarely cause confusion.
Is 'fairly' formal or informal?
It sits comfortably in both registers. You can write 'the results were fairly consistent' in a report or say 'it's fairly busy today' in casual conversation. It is a neutral, everyday intensifier. In very informal speech, 'pretty' often replaces it, so 'pretty busy' carries much the same moderate force.
