it looks fair

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'it looks fair' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you're making a subjective judgement about something and you want to indicate that it seems to be acceptable or equitable. For example, "The terms of the contract look fair; let's go ahead and sign it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"It looks fair.

The New York Times - Sports

We feel it's a little light, but given what has happened to iron ore prices in the past two years, it looks fair on balance to us".

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

He noticed me watching him shuffling, and asked softly, with deadpan sincerity, "Does that look fair?" When I said it looked fair, he dealt two hands of five-card draw and told me to lay down my cards.

The New Yorker

The charge stuck because it looked fair: three local oligarchs owned 43.5% and the Kazakh government had just voted Sir Richard Sykes off the board.

The Guardian - Business

That assessment looks fair.

The Guardian - Business

That looks fair to me.

The Guardian - Sport

There's a lot of attention paid to the relative equities and what looks fair.

Forbes

HTC's new five-inch handset looks a fair deal like its predecessor, which is to say, it looks a fair deal like Apple's last couple of phones.

TechCrunch

The deck is clearly stacked — it makes "Oleanna" look fair and balanced — but the play's right-of-center politics are no more didactic than its liberal counterparts and even hint at complexity.

The New York Times

It won't look fair.

WikiHow

It looks a fair price; the diamond industry's prospects are sparkly.For a start, supply is tight.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it looks fair" when you want to express a subjective judgment about something appearing equitable or acceptable based on available information.

Common error

While acceptable, "it looks fair" can be perceived as informal in some academic or business contexts. Consider alternatives like "it appears equitable" or "it seems reasonable" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it looks fair" functions as a subjective assessment or evaluation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is deemed correct and can be used to express the user's impression of equity or acceptability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it looks fair" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase for expressing a subjective assessment of equity or acceptability. While appropriate in news, media, and general conversation, consider more formal alternatives like "it appears equitable" or "it seems reasonable" in professional or academic settings. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. The most authoritative sources using this phrase include The New York Times and The Guardian, indicating its prevalence in reputable publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it looks balanced

Implies that different aspects are proportionally equal and not biased.

it seems equitable

Changes the verb and adjective to convey a sense of fairness or justice.

it appears reasonable

Replaces "fair" with "reasonable", suggesting a logical or rational assessment.

it seems legitimate

Focuses on the validity of something.

it strikes me as just

Emphasizes the speaker's subjective impression of justice or fairness.

it gives the impression of impartiality

Focuses on the lack of bias or favoritism.

it has the semblance of equity

Indicates that something has the appearance of fairness, though perhaps not genuinely so.

it presents as unbiased

Highlights the lack of prejudice or preconceived notions.

it reads as legitimate

Focuses on the validity and lawfulness.

it conveys a sense of balance

Suggests that different elements are in proper proportion or equilibrium.

FAQs

How can I use "it looks fair" in a sentence?

You can use "it looks fair" to express a subjective assessment of something seeming equitable or acceptable, such as "The proposed agreement "it looks fair" to both parties".

What's a more formal way to say "it looks fair"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "it appears equitable", "it seems reasonable", or "it presents as unbiased".

Is "it looks fair" appropriate for academic writing?

While grammatically correct, "it looks fair" might be considered too informal for some academic contexts. Alternatives like "it appears equitable" or "it seems reasonable" may be more suitable.

What's the difference between "it looks fair" and "it is fair"?

"It looks fair" indicates a subjective assessment based on appearance, while "it is fair" asserts an objective truth about the fairness of something. The former expresses an opinion, while the latter implies a factual statement.