fairly better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly better" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is generally considered redundant because "fairly" and "better" convey similar meanings of improvement, making the phrase unnecessary. Example: "After the adjustments, the results were fairly better than before."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

A correction procedure is employed to adjust the wave generation signal based on the wave spectrum and achieves fairly better results in the wave tank.

Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser. B

The results obtained reveal that the novel RBF scheme is accurate and fast, and performs fairly better than the finite difference approach.

Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control

In a short series — and seven games is short in the NHL and MLB — never forget that you are not watching a total examination of two teams designed to determine which team is really, truly, fairly better.

The Washington Post

I saw fairly better results but they were still off.

TechCrunch

Besides, our computational performance was fairly better compared to those of manufacture and other method aiming the same goal.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

When analyzed Slovenia (Table 5), it is evident that this economy has fairly better quality of labor expressed through positive and increased annual labor productivity growth (p < 0.1 and p < 0.05 depending on the model).

Journal of Economic Structures

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

About 14%% of Shigella isolates were multidrug resistant-fairly better than E.coli isolates.

International Journal of Food Contamination

"Teachers who are treated fairly are better teachers.

The New Yorker

Poorer countries sharing more fairly get better health, crime, education and social results than richer but more unequal countries.

The Guardian

The video quality is fairly good — better than the average YouTube video — and the program guide shows what's playing at any time.

The New York Times - Tech

It can only ensure that negotiations with workers are carried out fairly, promote better investment and innovation and, in the short term, try to lessen the cost of labor on companies.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "fairly better" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically accepted alternatives like "somewhat better" or "relatively better" to convey your intended meaning.

Common error

The word "fairly" is often redundant when used with "better" because "better" already implies a degree of improvement. Using both together can make your writing sound awkward or imprecise. Choose one or the other, or a more specific qualifier.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly better" functions as an adverb-adjective combination intended to modify a noun or verb. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, the construction is considered incorrect in standard English, with alternatives offering greater clarity and grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "fairly better" appears in some contexts, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect and somewhat redundant. As noted by Ludwig AI, using alternatives such as "somewhat better", "relatively better", or more specific qualifiers will result in clearer and more effective communication. While not entirely absent from published sources, it is advisable to avoid this phrase in formal writing to enhance clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat better

Replaces "fairly" with "somewhat", offering a slightly less emphatic degree of improvement.

relatively better

Uses "relatively" instead of "fairly", indicating improvement in comparison to something else.

noticeably better

Emphasizes that the improvement is easily observed or recognized.

considerably better

Indicates a significant degree of improvement.

appreciably better

Suggests the improvement is large enough to be important or worthwhile.

moderately better

Implies a limited degree of improvement.

marginally better

Indicates a slight or minimal improvement.

slightly better

Replaces "fairly" with "slightly", denoting a small difference in quality.

distinctly better

Highlights that the improvement is clear and unambiguous.

improved somewhat

Rephrases to focus on the act of improving to a certain extent, avoiding the original structure.

FAQs

Is "fairly better" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "fairly better" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's best to use alternatives like "somewhat better" or "relatively better".

What does "fairly better" mean?

While not grammatically ideal, "fairly better" is often used to express that something is improved to a moderate extent. However, clearer alternatives like "moderately better" are preferred.

Can I use "fairly better" in formal writing?

It's advisable to avoid "fairly better" in formal contexts. Opt for more precise and accepted alternatives like "appreciably better" or "considerably better" depending on the degree of improvement you want to convey.

What can I say instead of "fairly better"?

Consider using alternatives such as "slightly better", "noticeably better", or "distinctly better" to express varying degrees of improvement more accurately.