fairly stringent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly stringent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe rules, standards, or requirements that are somewhat strict or demanding, but not excessively so. Example: "The new regulations are fairly stringent, ensuring that all safety protocols are followed without being overly burdensome."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

45 human-written examples

While Wall Street trading desks use fairly stringent risk controls, many mutual fund managers do not.

The New York Times

Each market sets its own rules, some of which can be fairly stringent.

The New York Times

But we did put in a fairly stringent entry requirement: you had to have on the green and gold.

The Guardian - Sport

Not all applicants meet the fairly stringent criteria, which include accepting on courses only those students who have at least three years' business experience.

Independent

Nevertheless, the government could impose a fairly stringent solvency test on the system without having to beg Congress for more cash.Whether it has the will to do so remains to be seen.

The Economist

That transaction prompted speculation that D2 Properties might have been used to help Ms. Gu or others in China move money out of the country while circumventing China's fairly stringent capital controls.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

"The quality filter will be pretty stringent.

The New York Times

For example, photo cross-linking of protein-RNA interactions is believed to be fairly inefficient, but it allows for recovery of sequences under stringent conditions.

Plosone

While the strong presumption against interfering is the main aspect of FMS, some philosophers include as part of FMS (ii) a strong, but not necessarily stringent, reason to aid and (iii) a strong reason to treat fairly.

SEP

23 This may explain why industry is fairly highly cited across both guidelines as part of a researcher's more stringent contractual obligations.

BMJ Open

That is, the slopes rise less with more stringent levels of accessibility, probably because some saturation effect occurs once methods are fairly widely accessible.

Global health, science and practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing criteria or regulations, use "fairly stringent" to indicate a balance between enforceability and practicality. This suggests the rules are serious but not excessively burdensome.

Common error

Avoid using "fairly stringent" when the context requires a stronger term like "extremely stringent" or "highly regulated". Misusing "fairly stringent" can downplay the seriousness of the requirements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly stringent" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun to indicate a moderate level of strictness or rigor. Ludwig's examples show its use in describing rules, criteria, and regulations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fairly stringent" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe something that is moderately strict or rigorous. As Ludwig AI confirms, it strikes a balance, indicating a significant level of strictness without being overly extreme. It is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, particularly in news, scientific, and business settings. When using "fairly stringent", ensure that it accurately reflects the level of strictness you intend to convey, avoiding overstatements or understatements of the actual requirements.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately strict

Replaces "stringent" with "strict" and "fairly" with "moderately", softening the tone slightly.

somewhat rigorous

Substitutes "stringent" with "rigorous", emphasizing thoroughness rather than strictness, and "fairly" with "somewhat".

reasonably demanding

Replaces "stringent" with "demanding", focusing on the level of effort required, and "fairly" with "reasonably".

relatively tight

Uses "tight" as a synonym for "stringent", implying a constrained or limited nature, and "relatively" instead of "fairly".

comparatively restrictive

Employs "restrictive" to highlight limitations and "comparatively" to indicate a comparison to other situations, in place of "fairly stringent".

noticeably firm

Substitutes "stringent" with "firm", suggesting a degree of resoluteness, and "fairly" with "noticeably".

appreciably severe

Replaces "stringent" with "severe", increasing the intensity, and "fairly" with "appreciably".

measurably exacting

Uses "exacting" as a synonym for "stringent", emphasizing precision and accuracy, and "measurably" instead of "fairly".

quite controlled

Replaces "stringent" with "controlled", focusing on regulation, and uses "quite" instead of "fairly".

sensibly regulated

Substitutes "stringent" with "regulated", highlighting the implementation of rules, and "fairly" with "sensibly".

FAQs

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

You can use "fairly stringent" to describe rules, requirements, or criteria that are somewhat strict but not excessively so. For instance, "The university has "fairly stringent" admission requirements."

What are some alternatives to "fairly stringent"?

Alternatives include "moderately strict", "somewhat rigorous", or "reasonably demanding", depending on the context.

Is "fairly stringent" a formal or informal expression?

"Fairly stringent" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts, as it provides a balanced description without being overly casual or overly technical. Its usage is widespread across various sources according to Ludwig.

What's the difference between "fairly stringent" and "very stringent"?

"Fairly stringent" indicates a moderate level of strictness, while "very stringent" implies a much higher, almost uncompromising level. Use "very stringent" when describing regulations that are exceptionally strict.