in fairness

English

Alternative forms

• in all fairness

Prepositional phrase

in fairness

1. (transitive with to) As a counterpoint; for the sake of balance; to lessen the harm.

   Synonym: to be fair

   • 2015 March 12, Daniel Taylor, “Chelsea out of Champions League after Thiago Silva sends 10-man PSG through on away goals”, in The Guardian (London)‎^[1]:

     Chelsea were given a debatable penalty for Eden Hazard to make it 2-1 in the first period of extra-time and it was another night of repeat offending from Costa. Mourinho, in fairness, focused on his team’s shortcomings rather than any misplaced sense of injustice and even called for Uefa to let Ibrahimovic off.

   • 2024 April 17, “Rural railways: do they deliver?”, in RAIL, number 1007, page 57:

     The chap opposite seems to be trying to pull a fast one, and having seen the guard is trying to buy a ticket online... but doesn't succeed. The guard helpfully sells him one, but not quite at the price of one purchased in advance. In fairness he doesn't kick off, nor does the guard treat him like some common criminal. It's a fair cop - or should that be a fare cop?

Translations

for the sake of balance

• Finnish: rehellisyyden nimissä, tasapuolisuuden nimissä, kohtuuden nimissä, kylläkin
• French: pour sa défense
• German: fairerweise (de), gerechterweise (de)
• Hungarian: az igazság kedvéért, az igazat megvallva
• Polish: gwoli sprawiedliwości
• Russian: справедливости ради (spravedlivosti radi)

Further reading

• “in fairness to somebody” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “in all fairness” (US) / “in all fairness” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “in all fairness to”, in Collins English Dictionary.