fairness
gb/fˈɛɹnəs/ us/fˈɛɹnəs/
B1
Inglês
~ 6100
Acepções
0 acepção
Substantivo
B1
property
1
quality of just, equal treatment
The quality of treating all people in the same honest and just way.
Padrão de uso:
the fairness of [a decision/treatment/rule]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes say *'the justice of the situation'* when they really mean everyday *'fairness'* in treatment, which sounds more natural in general conversation. Another mistake is using *'equalness'* instead of *'fairness'*; in most contexts, *'fairness'* is the correct noun. Also note that *'fairness'* is usually an uncountable noun, so avoid saying *'a fairness'*; say *'a sense of fairness'* or *'the fairness of the decision'* instead.
Sinônimos
justice (Emphasizes moral or legal rightness; slightly more formal and abstract than 'fairness'.)
|
impartiality (Focuses on not favoring any side; often used about judges, referees, or decision‑makers.)
|
equity (Often used in legal, social, or policy contexts to stress fairness in outcomes and opportunities.)
Antônimos
injustice (Describes treatment that is morally or legally wrong and not fair.)
|
bias (Focuses on unfair preference for one person or group over another.)
|
unfairness (Direct opposite; any situation where people are not treated in a fair way.)
Colocações
sense of fairness
|basic fairness
|fairness and justice
|ensure fairness
|question of fairness
|procedural fairness
Temas
ethics
|law
|society
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- Children often complain loudly when they feel a lack of fairness.
- The new law was designed to improve fairness in the workplace.
- Employees questioned the fairness of the promotion process.
- A basic sense of fairness tells us that everyone should get a chance to speak.
- The referee's fairness was praised by both teams.
Exemplos para estudantes
- My sister has a strong sense of fairness.
- We talked about the fairness of the school's rules.
- People want fairness when they look for a job.
- The teacher showed fairness and listened to every student.
- Many laws try to protect fairness for all people.
Substantivo
B2
property
2
reasonableness or balance of something
The quality of something being reasonable and not too hard or too easy.
Padrão de uso:
the fairness of [a test/price/rule]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use *'fairness'* where *'fair'* is needed before a noun, for example saying *'the fairness exam'* instead of *'the fair exam'* or *'the fairness of the exam'*. Use *'fairness'* after 'the' or 'of', and *'fair'* directly before nouns.
Sinônimos
reasonableness (Focuses on being logical and not extreme, especially for rules, demands, or expectations.)
|
equitableness (More formal; stresses that conditions and outcomes are properly balanced for everyone involved.)
Antônimos
unreasonableness (Describes rules, prices, or demands that are not logical or are too extreme.)
|
excessiveness (Highlights that something is too much, too strict, or too high to be considered fair.)
Colocações
the fairness of the exam
|the fairness of the decision
|the fairness of the system
|assess fairness
|perceived fairness
|price fairness
Temas
education
|business
|law
|work
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- Students complained about the fairness of the exam after several questions covered material that had not been taught.
- The committee reviewed the fairness of the new grading policy.
- Many customers questioned the fairness of the sudden price increase.
- He accepted the punishment but still doubted its fairness.
- An independent auditor was hired to evaluate the fairness of the selection process.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The students talked about the fairness of the test.
- Some workers did not agree with the fairness of the new rules.
- People asked about the fairness of the ticket prices.
- Parents discussed the fairness of the school's decision.
- We checked the fairness of the game before we started.
Substantivo
C1
property
3
lightness of skin color
How light a person's skin looks in color.
Padrão de uso:
the fairness of [someone's] skin/complexion
Erro comum:
Learners may think *'fairness'* always means *'justice'*, and be confused when it refers to skin color. Also, in many cultures, praising *'fairness'* of skin can carry social or racial implications. In modern English, it is safer and clearer to say *'light skin'* or *'light skin tone'* in neutral description, and to avoid suggesting that lighter skin is better.
Sinônimos
paleness (Can describe light skin color but often suggests sickness or a lack of blood in the face.)
|
lightness (Neutral description of color; needs context to show it refers specifically to skin.)
Antônimos
darkness (Refers to a deeper or darker skin tone in this context.)
|
tan (Refers to skin that has become darker from the sun rather than naturally light.)
Colocações
the fairness of her skin
|skin fairness
|complexion fairness
|fairness cream
|promote fairness
|improve fairness (of skin)
Temas
appearance
|body
|fashion
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The fairness of her skin made her sensitive to strong sunlight.
- Some beauty products advertise that they can increase skin fairness.
- Photographers must adjust lighting to suit the fairness of the model's complexion.
- He inherited the fairness of his mother's skin and the dark hair of his father.
- Discussions about fairness of skin can be sensitive because they relate to ideas about beauty and race.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The fairness of his skin makes him burn easily in the sun.
- Some people use cream to change the fairness of their skin.
- Doctors warn that trying to increase skin fairness can be unsafe.
- Her makeup matches the fairness of her face.
- We should not judge people by the fairness of their skin.
Substantivo
literary
C2
property
4
physical beauty, especially female
Beautiful appearance, especially of a woman, in a literary or old style.
Padrão de uso:
the fairness of [someone's] face/features
Erro comum:
Learners may wrongly use this literary sense in everyday speech, saying things like *'I admire your fairness'* to mean *'I think you are beautiful'*, which sounds strange or unclear in modern English. Use *'beauty'* or *'good looks'* instead in normal conversation.
Sinônimos
beauty (General and very common word; not limited to literary or old-fashioned style.)
|
loveliness (Softer, more emotional word for beauty, often used in poetic or romantic descriptions.)
Antônimos
plainness (Describes a face or appearance that is not striking or especially beautiful.)
|
ugliness (Strong negative opposite, suggesting a lack of beauty.)
Colocações
the fairness of her face
|youth and fairness
|admire her fairness
|celebrate her fairness
|her legendary fairness
Temas
literature
|appearance
|arts_entertainment
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- Poets of that age often praised the fairness of their beloved.
- The portrait captures not only her fairness but also her quiet strength.
- Stories from the period speak of queens whose fairness was known across the land.
- He was struck silent by the sudden fairness of the stranger's face.
- The novel dwells on the fading fairness of its aging heroine.
Exemplos para estudantes
- Old poems talk about the fairness of a lady.
- Writers sometimes use 'fairness' to mean beauty.
- In this story, her fairness makes many men love her.
- The painter tried to show her fairness in the picture.
- Modern English does not often use 'fairness' to mean beauty.
Substantivo
technical
C1
property
5
lack of systematic bias
In technical or legal talk, when a system or rule does not give better or worse results to one group than to another.
Padrão de uso:
fairness of [a system/algorithm/process]
Erro comum:
Learners may not realize that in technical fields like AI or economics, *'fairness'* has more precise definitions that can differ from everyday ideas of what is fair. It is important to check how a specific field defines *'fairness'* instead of assuming the general meaning.
Sinônimos
unbiasedness (Technical term used especially in statistics and machine learning for lack of systematic error or bias.)
|
nondiscrimination (Legal or policy term focusing on not treating protected groups worse than others.)
Antônimos
bias (General opposite; in these fields, means systematic error or unequal treatment built into a system.)
|
discrimination (Emphasizes unfair negative treatment of particular groups in outcomes or decisions.)
Colocações
algorithmic fairness
|statistical fairness
|distributive fairness
|fairness metric
|fairness constraint
|fairness standard
Temas
technology
|law
|science
|business
Exemplos
- Researchers proposed several measures to quantify algorithmic fairness in hiring tools.
- Regulators are increasingly concerned about the fairness of automated credit-scoring systems.
- The company introduced fairness constraints to reduce bias in its recommendation engine.
- Legal scholars debate how to define fairness in the use of predictive policing models.
- Ensuring statistical fairness often requires careful analysis of outcomes across different demographic groups.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The team tested the fairness of their AI system.
- New laws ask for fairness in online ads.
- Scientists measure fairness by looking at results for different groups.
- Engineers talk about fairness when they build decision tools.
- Banks must show the fairness of their credit scores.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
fairness
AFI
GB/fˈɛɹnəs/
US/fˈɛɹnəs/
Sílabas e tonicidade
fair - ness (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (fair)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: fairness
- Plural: fairness
Família de palavras
Expressões
a sense of fairness
1/ə sˈɛns əv fˈɛɹnəs/
fixed phrase
inner feeling of what is fair
A natural feeling inside a person that people should be treated in a fair way.
Exemplos
- Even very young children have a strong sense of fairness.
- Her decision came from a deep sense of fairness rather than from the rules.
- A healthy society depends on its citizens' sense of fairness.
ensure fairness
1/ɪnʃˈʊɹ fˈɛɹnəs/
fixed phrase
make sure things are fair
To take steps so that a process or situation is fair to everyone.
Exemplos
- The company hired an outside expert to ensure fairness in the hiring process.
- Clear rules help ensure fairness in competitions.
- We must ensure fairness when we divide the work among team members.
fairness and equality
1/fˈɛɹnəs ˈænd ɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
idea of being fair and equal
Used to talk about the goal that people are treated fairly and have the same rights and chances.
Exemplos
- The campaign focuses on fairness and equality in education.
- Many laws are written to promote fairness and equality in the workplace.
- They organized a march to demand fairness and equality for all citizens.
in all fairness
1/ˈɪn ˈɔl fˈɛɹnəs/
idiom
to be completely fair or balanced
Used before you say something that gives a more fair or balanced view of a person or situation.
Exemplos
- In all fairness, he did warn you that the project would be difficult.
- The movie was slow, but in all fairness, the acting was excellent.
- She can be strict, but in all fairness, she treats everyone the same.
in the interests of fairness
1/ˈɪn ðə ˈɪntɚˌɛsts əv fˈɛɹnəs/
fixed phrase
formal
for the sake of fairness
Used to say that you do something so that people are treated in a fair and equal way.
Exemplos
- In the interests of fairness, both sides were given extra time to speak.
- The judge ordered a new hearing in the interests of fairness.
- We changed the schedule in the interests of fairness to staff with children.