B1adverb2K

Fairly

UK /["/ˈfeəli/"]/US /["/ˈferli/"]/

Definition

to some extent but not very

In simple words: To a moderate degree; not too much.

Examples

  • The test was fairly easy, so I think I did well.
  • She is fairly tall for her age compared to her classmates.
  • The weather today is fairly warm, making it a nice day out.
  • Although he was fairly busy, he still found time to help me.
  • I am fairly certain that we will finish the project by Friday.
  • The recent changes to the policy were seen as fairly positive by most employees.
  • She only made a fairly small mistake in her calculations.
  • He played a fairly important role in the success of the event.
  • The movie was fairly entertaining, with a good mix of action and humor.

Usage notes

Use 'fairly' to describe something that is somewhat true or has a moderate level. It is usually appropriate in both spoken and written English but may be less formal in certain contexts.

Grammar pattern

fairly + adjective/adverb

Memory hint

Think of 'fairly' as 'fairly easy' — not too hard, and not too easy!

Collocations

  • fairly easy
  • fairly common
  • fairly good
  • fairly large
  • fairly accurate

Synonyms

  • relatively
  • moderately
  • somewhat
  • reasonably
  • quite

Antonyms

  • unfairly

Common mistakes

  • Using 'fairly' inappropriately with intense adjectives like 'awesome' or 'terrible'.
  • Swapping 'fairly' with 'very' (they are not synonyms).
  • Misplacing 'fairly' in the sentence structure.