From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishin fairness (to somebody)in fairness (to somebody)EXPLAINused after you have just criticized someone, in order to add something that explains their behaviour or performance SYN to be fair Tardelli had a poor match, although in fairness he was playing with a knee injury. → fairness
Examples from the Corpus
in fairness (to somebody)• In fairness to Principal Montara, the school hasn't received funding to hire better teachers.• Although in fairness their biggest obstacle wasn't acting live but making the most of flawed storylines.• The Labour party believes in fairness and justice.• He knew that she was not making much headway with finding the nonce, but in fairness neither was he.• Neither is he here, in fairness, just to get women.• Now, in fairness I must add that organized labor, or most of it, wanted the Steelworkers Trilogy.• And we ought, in fairness, to wonder who else in similar circumstances would have proved so much bolder?• They, too, decided that they could no longer remain in fairness to their young children.• I did say in fairness that most of the fault was my own. 