: the quality or state of being fair
especially : fair or impartial treatment : lack of favoritism toward one side or another
This is the real Ponzi scheme that does injury to the American promise of fairness Jesse Jackson
The rules reflect the principles of procedural due process and fundamental fairness prescribed by the Constitution … James O. Freedman
… partisan gerrymandering has got so out of hand that it was up to the courts to restore a measure of fairness. Jeffrey Toobin
We are living in the harsh world invented by a handful of corporate raiders whose values are completely foreign to the fairness and moderation that had so long served as the proper foundation of American success and the American dream. Doris Haddock
He did poorly, but in (all) fairness [=to be fair to him], he was tired.

Examples of fairness in a Sentence

a city of incomparable fairness, Venice has enchanted travelers for centuries fairness was certainly uppermost in the elderly woman's mind as she made arrangements for dividing the family heirlooms among her many grandchildren
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Patients, doctors and other stakeholders should have confidence in the AI health solutions that the system offers in terms of transparency, fairness and accountability. 3. Moulik Shah, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 But land reform is so fundamental to how the current government took power that no citizen may portray it as anything other than a benevolent campaign that brought fairness and prosperity to China’s long-suffering farmers. Ian Johnson, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025 New York is working to create a justice system that prioritizes fairness and safety. Eric Gonzalez, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025 But First Step Act supporters portray the reforms as a delicate balance between fairness and public safety. Taylor Millard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fairness

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fairness was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fairness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairness. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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