fair looking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fair looking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is moderately attractive or pleasant in appearance. Example: "She was fair looking, with soft features and a warm smile that made her approachable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

No fair looking it up.

The New York Times

He can turn an ugly duckling into a fair looking swan.

The Guardian - Sport

Gemologists also come to the Gdańsk fair looking for rocks with rare inclusions.

The Guardian - Business

These are Annika Ström's Ten Embarrassed Men, who patrol the fair looking for images of women to be embarrassed by.

The Guardian - Arts

"I thought I had to be fair, looking back on the game on Sunday, looking at the way we wanted to play," Di Matteo said of Drogba.

The New York Times - Sports

Gander will also be taking part in Frieze Projects, taking instant photographs of people at the fair looking at their favourite work as "a way of collecting the demographic of visitors to the fair".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

--The Man Who Spilled Secrets - Vanity Fair looks at Julian Assange and his relationship with The Guardian.

The New York Times

Which, to be fair, look pretty grim to me: a parade of birds hanging beak down, punctuated with clammy-looking pigs' heads.

Independent

It ended up tumbling down a window well and crashing into the carpeted basement of a house — which, to be fair, looked pretty cozy.

The Washington Post

To determine what's fair, look at what you pay nonrelatives to do the same task, or what your competitor pays for the same work.

Forbes

A biotech recruiter at one career fair looked at her resume and acknowledged it was impressive but added that it was not useful for most jobs.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's appearance, consider the context and choose the most appropriate term. "Fair looking" can be a suitable alternative to overly strong adjectives like "beautiful" or "stunning".

Common error

While acceptable, "fair looking" may sound somewhat informal in professional or academic writing. Opt for more precise and sophisticated descriptors when appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fair looking" functions primarily as an adjective phrase used to describe the appearance of a person or object. As supported by Ludwig AI, it indicates a moderate level of attractiveness or pleasantness. Examples show its usage in news articles, academic texts and blogs.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

21%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Science

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fair looking" is a common adjective phrase used to describe someone or something that is moderately attractive or pleasing in appearance. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While it appears across various source types, from news articles to academic publications, it's important to consider the context and choose more precise or sophisticated descriptors for formal settings. Alternatives include "moderately attractive", "passably pretty", and "pleasant in appearance". Use "fair looking" when you want to convey an assessment of visual appeal with a subtle and understated tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fairly attractive

A simple alternative using a different adverb to express a similar degree of attractiveness.

moderately attractive

Emphasizes a level of attractiveness that is not exceptionally high but still pleasing.

passably pretty

Highlights that someone or something meets a basic standard of prettiness.

somewhat handsome

Specifically refers to male attractiveness to some degree.

pleasant in appearance

Focuses on the overall pleasing quality of someone's or something's visual aspect.

presentable appearance

Focuses on the tidiness and acceptability of someone's look.

decent looking

Suggests an acceptable but not outstanding appearance.

reasonably attractive

Emphasizes that the level of attractiveness is within reasonable expectations.

averagely good-looking

Indicates an appearance that is typical or standard in terms of attractiveness.

not unattractive

Uses a double negative to express a mild positive assessment of appearance.

FAQs

What does "fair looking" mean?

The phrase "fair looking" generally means moderately attractive or pleasant in appearance. It suggests that someone or something is pleasing to the eye, but not exceptionally so.

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

You might say, "She was "fairly attractive", with a kind smile and gentle eyes", or "The house had a "decent looking" garden, well-maintained and inviting".

What are some alternatives to "fair looking"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "moderately attractive", "passably pretty", or "pleasant in appearance".

Is "fair looking" a formal or informal phrase?

The phrase "fair looking" leans towards the informal side. In more formal contexts, consider using alternatives that convey a similar meaning with greater precision and sophistication.