you can't say fairer than that

English

WOTD – 21 January 2021

Etymology

An informal way of expressing that one cannot say that anything is better or more fair than the matter being evaluated.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /juː ˈkɑːnt seɪ ˈfɛəɹə ðn̩ ˌðæt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ju ˈkænt seɪ ˈfɛəɹə ðən ˌðæt/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: you can't say fair‧er than that

Phrase

you can't say fairer than that

1. (British, idiomatic, informal) That is fair, good, or reasonable; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome.

Usage notes

• This phrase is occasionally used with the pronouns I, we, or one rather than you, depending on who is seen to be evaluating the decision.

Translations

that is fair, good or reasonable; one cannot hope for a better decision or outcome

• Serbo-Croatian: bolje ne može (idiom)

Further reading

• “you can't say fairer than that”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “can't say fairer than that” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman; “you can't say fairer than that” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “(I) can't say fairer than that” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.