fairly recently

USAGE SUMMARY

"fairly recently" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe something that happened not long ago, but not too recently. For example, "I visited my grandparents fairly recently."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It happened fairly recently".

The New Yorker

MR. OBAMA: Fairly recently, yes.

The New York Times

Some has been cleared fairly recently.

The Economist

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Fairly recently, yeah.

The Washington Post

The break came fairly recently.

The New York Times

Until fairly recently that is.

The New York Times

But that didn't happen until fairly recently.

The Washington Post

It was, until fairly recently, a luxury food".

The New York Times

I saw you on Joe & Mika's show fairly recently ….

The New Yorker

As I said, they both arrived here fairly recently.

The New York Times

Think about how rare that has been until fairly recently.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fairly recently" when you want to indicate that something happened not too long ago, but not in the immediate past. It strikes a balance between "very recently" and "some time ago".

Common error

Avoid using "fairly recently" too frequently in your writing. Vary your language by using synonyms like "recently", "lately", or "in recent times" to make your text more engaging and less repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly recently" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the time frame in which an action or event occurred. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for use in English writing. Ludwig's examples show it modifying verbs, adding context to when something happened.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fairly recently" is a versatile and grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to indicate that an event occurred not long ago. According to Ludwig, its usage is correct and suitable for various writing styles, though it's most frequently found in news and media sources. To avoid repetition, consider using synonyms like "very recently" or "quite recently". Remember that Ludwig's AI confirms that the phrase is suitable for usage in any kind of context, depending on what you are trying to say.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

very recently

Emphasizes that something happened in the immediate past.

just recently

Emphasizes the immediacy of the event.

quite recently

Indicates that something happened not long ago.

pretty recently

Similar to "quite recently" but slightly more informal.

rather recently

Implies a slightly longer time frame than "very recently" but still recent.

relatively recently

Highlights the recency in comparison to a longer period.

of late

A more formal way to say recently.

in recent times

Focuses on the period of time rather than the specific event.

in the recent past

Similar to "in recent times" but slightly more specific.

lately

Indicates something happening repeatedly or habitually in the recent period.

FAQs

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

You can use "fairly recently" to indicate that something happened not long ago. For example, "I visited my family "fairly recently"."

What are some alternatives to "fairly recently"?

Alternatives include "very recently", "quite recently", or "pretty recently", depending on the context and the degree of emphasis you want to convey.

Is it okay to start a sentence with "fairly recently"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to start a sentence with "fairly recently" for emphasis or stylistic reasons. For example, "Fairly recently, the company implemented a new policy."

What's the difference between "fairly recently" and "recently"?

"Fairly recently" implies that the event occurred less immediately than "recently" but is still within a relatively short timeframe. "Recently" is a broader term and can encompass a slightly longer period.