fairly bad

USAGE SUMMARY

"fairly bad" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation as being "not good, but not too bad." For example: "The weather today was fairly bad - it rained all afternoon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I have a fairly bad back," he admits.

The New York Times

The jockeying for waves got, for Ocean Beach, fairly bad.

The New Yorker

Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad?

Cornell University

And this advice appears with hindsight to have been fairly bad.

The Economist

Mr. Romney will be in fairly bad shape if he loses Ohio.

The New York Times

The survey found that 41 percent said their living conditions were at least "fairly bad".

The New York Times

(Then again, 75 percent view the nation's financial picture as "fairly bad" or "very bad").

The New York Times

We do a fairly bad job of that a lot of the time.

The Guardian

Forty years ago there was a fairly bad movie called "John and Mary".

The New York Times

But when you're playing Werder Bremen, being fairly bad can sometimes be good enough.

The Guardian - Sport

The refugees, mostly women and children, were in a "fairly bad shape," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fairly bad", ensure that the context clearly indicates a situation that is undesirable but not catastrophic. For example, "The movie was fairly bad, but the popcorn was good."

Common error

Avoid using "fairly bad" when the situation is actually very severe. Using a milder term can downplay the seriousness of the issue and mislead your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly bad" functions as a qualifying adjective phrase. It's used to describe the degree or extent to which something is negative or undesirable. As Ludwig AI points out, it indicates a level of negativity that is not extreme.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fairly bad" is a common and versatile expression used to describe something that is negative to a moderate degree. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage. Analysis reveals that while "fairly bad" is acceptable in various contexts, it is most frequently found in News & Media. When writing, be mindful of the situation's actual severity; "fairly bad" should be used when something is undesirable, but not catastrophic. Related alternatives such as "moderately poor" or "somewhat substandard" can provide similar meanings with slight variations in tone. Be sure to choose the phrase that best represents your intended meaning and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately poor

Replaces "bad" with "poor" and "fairly" with "moderately" maintaining a similar level of intensity.

somewhat substandard

Uses "substandard" instead of "bad", indicating a deviation from the expected quality, while "somewhat" replaces "fairly".

rather inadequate

Substitutes "bad" with "inadequate" to suggest a deficiency, with "rather" replacing "fairly".

slightly deficient

Replaces "bad" with "deficient", pointing to a lack of something, and "slightly" substitutes "fairly".

pretty awful

Employs a more informal tone using "awful" instead of "bad", while "pretty" is used instead of "fairly".

reasonably inferior

Replaces "bad" with "inferior", indicating a lower quality, while "reasonably" substitutes "fairly".

not particularly good

Uses a negation to express a similar sentiment, conveying that something is less than good.

a bit disappointing

Shifts the focus to the emotional impact, indicating that something has failed to meet expectations.

kind of weak

Utilizes a more casual expression, suggesting a lack of strength or effectiveness.

noticeably flawed

Highlights the presence of imperfections, indicating that something has significant defects.

FAQs

How can I use "fairly bad" in a sentence?

You can use "fairly bad" to describe something that is not good, but not extremely terrible. For example: "The food was "fairly bad", but the service was excellent."

What can I say instead of "fairly bad"?

You can use alternatives like "moderately poor", "somewhat substandard", or "rather inadequate" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "fairly bad" or "very bad"?

"Fairly bad" indicates something is somewhat negative, while "very bad" implies a much stronger degree of negativity. Choose the phrase that best reflects the severity of the situation.

What's the difference between "fairly bad" and "slightly bad"?

"Fairly bad" suggests a more noticeable degree of negativity compared to "slightly bad". "Slightly bad" implies a minor issue, while ""fairly bad"" suggests a more significant problem.