A fair-weather friend is someone who is around while things are going well and disappears when you need help. Fair here means “sunny and dry”, so literally it is a friend for good weather. The expression sounds reproachful. It fits conversation and IELTS Speaking, but in an essay write unreliable friend instead.
When would you say a fair-weather friend?
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be + a fair-weather friend; find out who your fair-weather friends are; a fair-weather + fan/supporter
- When I lost my job, I quickly found out who my fair-weather friends were.
- A fair-weather friend will come to your parties but won't answer the phone when you're in trouble.
- I thought Dan cared about me, but he turned out to be a fair-weather friend.
What changed
First versionSadly, my old classmate turned out to be a good-weather friend.
RevisionSadly, my old classmate turned out to be a fair-weather friend.
Good-weather friend appears when learners rebuild the idea of “a friend for good weather” in their own words. But the idiom is fixed and only uses fair: in weather forecasts, fair means “clear, with no rain”. Good was replaced with fair; nothing else was changed.
The opposite idea is expressed by the proverb A friend in need is a friend indeed: a true friend is the one who helps you in hard times. Fair-weather isn't only about friends: fair-weather fans support a team only while it is winning. The stadium was half empty after three defeats, so we saw who the fair-weather fans were.
Your turn
Jake loved coming to our barbecues, but when we had money problems and needed help moving house, he was suddenly too busy. He's a ___.
Show the answer
fair-weather friend — Jake was happy to come to barbecues, but when money problems started and help with the move was needed, he was suddenly busy. That is how a fair-weather friend behaves. A true friend would have helped at a difficult moment.
Describe someone who turned out to be a friend only in good times. Say in what situation this became clear and what they did or didn't do.
When I was ill for a month, my old classmate never visited or called, and I realised he was a fair-weather friend.
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