Word

fairness

noun C1

UK /ˈfɛə.nəs/

US /ˈfɛɚ.nəs/

Meanings

noun

the quality of being just, impartial, and treating people equally

noun

a reasonable or equitable distribution or outcome

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Definition

Fairness is the quality of treating people equally and making decisions in an impartial way.

Fairness means judging situations without favoritism and giving everyone an equal chance. It involves using consistent rules and considering relevant facts rather than personal bias. People often talk about fairness when they discuss how resources, opportunities, or responsibilities are shared.

Examples

The committee revised the scoring rubric to improve fairness across departments.
I questioned the fairness of the schedule because my team had the earliest shifts every day.
She defended the fairness of the hiring process by pointing to the same interview questions for all candidates.
They accepted the result, even though they were disappointed, because they trusted the referee’s fairness.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse fairness with kindness, but fairness is about impartial rules and equal treatment, not being nice.