fair guess

USAGE SUMMARY

"fair guess" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are making a guess but are not completely sure if it is correct. For example, "I'm not sure what she meant, but my fair guess is that she's unhappy with the decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Very few would be a fair guess.

The Guardian - Sport

A fair guess is that it will underspend its budget by £660m or so.

The Economist

One of them said, "A Frenchman?" It was a fair guess.

The New Yorker

It's a fair guess that the anti-raw dictocrats, hunkered down somewhere across town, weren't either.

The New York Times

(Jay Payton and Edgardo Alfonzo within a week are a fair guess).

The New York Times - Sports

"It will probably be a pretty fair guess," he said, with a smile.

The New York Times

It seems a fair guess that the factor uniting them all is a sad involvement with Venice.

The New Yorker

"It is a fair guess that his briefcase, or his satchel, contains nothing but manifestos and position papers.

Independent

Andy's is a fair guess as to the destination of one of the few other Western passengers.

The Economist

It's a fair guess the Amazin' would have known those statistics without having to look them up.

The New York Times - Sports

It's a fair guess that there will be challenges about fact and detail in Figes's narrative here.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "fair guess" with qualifiers like "probably", "likely", or "seems" to further emphasize the uncertainty and tentative nature of the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "fair guess" when you have strong evidence or concrete data. This phrase implies uncertainty, so use more definitive language when certainty exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fair guess" functions as a qualifier to express an opinion or prediction without asserting it as a fact. It indicates that the statement is based on some reasoning or evidence, but remains speculative. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fair guess" is a common and grammatically sound way to express an educated speculation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples across various domains, primarily news and media. While versatile, remember that more formal contexts might benefit from stronger language than a "fair guess". By being mindful of context and related phrases, you can use "fair guess" effectively to convey nuanced levels of certainty in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

educated guess

Highlights the role of knowledge and experience in forming the guess.

reasonable estimate

Emphasizes the logical basis of the estimation.

likely assumption

Focuses on the probability of the assumption being correct.

sound speculation

Implies that the speculation is well-reasoned and based on evidence.

plausible conjecture

Suggests a more formal and theoretical speculation.

probable assessment

Highlights the likelihood aspect of the assessment, implying consideration of various factors.

tenable hypothesis

Suggests a hypothesis that is defensible and based on available information, more formal.

good approximation

Focuses on the closeness of the estimate to the actual value, used when precision is difficult.

safe bet

Implies high confidence in the outcome, though still not a certainty.

workable proposition

Suggests a proposition that is practical and likely to succeed, more about a plan than a guess.

FAQs

How can I use "fair guess" in a sentence?

You can use "fair guess" to express an educated speculation or a judgment based on available information. For example, "It's a fair guess that the company will announce new products soon."

What are some alternatives to "fair guess"?

Alternatives include "educated guess", "reasonable estimate", or "plausible conjecture", depending on the context and the level of formality.

Is "fair guess" appropriate for formal writing?

While "fair guess" is generally acceptable, more formal contexts might benefit from using phrases like "reasonable assessment" or "likely scenario" to convey a higher degree of professionalism.

What's the difference between "fair guess" and "wild guess"?

"Fair guess" suggests some basis in evidence or reasoning, whereas "wild guess" implies a completely random or uninformed speculation.