fairly much

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly much" is not technically correct in written English as it is usually considered tautological or redundant.
A better phrase to use in a sentence would be "much" or "quite a bit". For example, instead of saying "I learned fairly much about literature in school," one could say "I learned quite a bit about literature in school."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

"Dubai was fairly much the worst example of overextension.

The New York Times

In fact, the house has been left fairly much as Mr. Hager found it.

The New York Times

But racing has kept me sharp mentally and fairly much so physically.

The New York Times - Sports

We fairly much live this thing; it's all-consuming.' 'And physically so,' adds Colvin.

The Guardian

Here we show that the discrepancy between GFA and TS originates from the competition between entropy and enthalpy which fairly much relies on local structural characteristics.

Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids

Some people who know the work will go, 'hang on', but generally speaking it's the same people doing fairly much the same stuff".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

Flights are fairly commoditized, with pretty much every airline sticking you in the same cramped chair.

TechCrunch

The correlation between reduced deaths and money spent is fairly strong, much more so than the correlation between conventional aid and economic development.

The Economist

Residents complained that aid was not being distributed fairly, with much of it going to Palu instead of the outlying areas.

The New York Times

And Oliveira's sources are fairly straightforward: much of her description of the women's private lives, for example, derives from the recollections of their maids.

The New York Times - Books

After being fairly quiet much of the night, the crowd of 19,930 turned rowdy in the fourth quarter, and it helped the Sixers.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the register of your writing. In formal contexts, avoid using "fairly much" and choose a more precise adverb like "significantly" or "considerably".

Common error

Avoid combining adverbs that essentially convey the same meaning. Using both "fairly" and "much" can create redundancy. Choose the stronger adverb or rephrase to avoid unnecessary words.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly much" functions as an adverbial modifier, attempting to quantify the extent or degree to which something is true. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the combination is often considered redundant because "fairly" and "much" both indicate degree.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

31%

Wiki

23%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "fairly much" is a grammatically questionable construction that combines two adverbs indicating degree, leading to redundancy. Ludwig AI considers it technically incorrect in written English. While it appears in a variety of sources, including news and media outlets, its usage is discouraged in favor of clearer and more concise alternatives such as "mostly", "largely", or "quite a bit". For formal writing, more precise adverbs like "significantly" or "considerably" are recommended. Although it is commonly used, mindful writers should aim for more effective and less ambiguous expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quite a bit

Replaces both adverbs with a more common expression indicating a considerable amount.

pretty much

Uses a more informal adverb to indicate a similar degree of approximation or completeness.

largely

Emphasizes the extent to which something is true or applicable.

mostly

Indicates that something is true in the majority of cases or to the greatest extent.

considerably

Highlights the significant degree or amount of something.

significantly

Focuses on the notable or important aspect of the degree or amount.

to a great extent

Expresses a high degree or large portion of something.

to a large degree

Similar to "to a great extent", emphasizing the substantial portion or degree.

for the most part

Indicates that something is generally true but not necessarily in every instance.

in general

Suggests that something is true in a broad or overall sense.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "fairly much"?

The phrase "fairly much" is often considered redundant as "fairly" and "much" both indicate degree. Using just "much" or a stronger single adverb enhances clarity.

What can I say instead of "fairly much" in formal writing?

In formal writing, replace "fairly much" with more precise adverbs like "considerably", "significantly", or "substantially" to maintain a professional tone.

Is "fairly much" acceptable in spoken English?

While "fairly much" is sometimes used in informal speech, it's generally better to use clearer alternatives such as "quite a bit" or "mostly" for better understanding.

How does "fairly much" differ from "pretty much"?

"Pretty much" is an informal way to say "almost completely" or "nearly", while "fairly much" attempts to combine the meanings of "fairly" (moderately) and "much" (to a great extent), often resulting in a redundant or less clear expression. Using "pretty much" is generally more accepted in informal contexts.