impartial

1 of 2

adjective

im·​par·​tial (ˌ)im-ˈpär-shəl 

: not partial or biased : treating or affecting all equally

an impartial judge/juror/observer

an impartial analysis

impartiality

(ˌ)im-ˌpär-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

-ˌpär-ˈsha-

noun

impartially

(ˌ)im-ˈpär-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

impartiality

2 of 2

noun

im·​partiality (¦)im 

əm+

: the quality or state of being impartial : freedom from bias or favoritism : disinterestedness, fairness

the impartiality of the scientific spirit

—John Dewey

with wonderful impartiality, the play admits shenanigans and sentiment

—Time

Did you know?

Impartial vs Partial

To be "partial to" or "partial toward" someone or something is to be somewhat biased or prejudiced, which means that a person who is partial really only sees part of the whole picture. To be impartial is the opposite. The United Nations sends impartial observers to monitor elections in troubled countries. We hope judges and juries will be impartial when they hand down verdicts. But grandparents aren't expected to be impartial when describing their new grandchild.

Synonyms of impartial

Adjective

• equitable
• equal
• objective

Choose the Right Synonym for impartial

fair, just, equitable, impartial, unbiased, dispassionate, objective mean free from favor toward either or any side.

fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests.

a fair decision

just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.

a just settlement of territorial claims

equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned.

the equitable distribution of the property

impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice.

an impartial third party

unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice.

your unbiased opinion

dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment.

a dispassionate summation of the facts

objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings.

I can't be objective about my own child

Examples of impartial in a Sentence

Adjective

an impartial analysis of the case

an impartial evaluation of the job applicant's qualifications that does not consider age, gender, or race

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

These rules, meant to ensure that the judge will hear cases in an impartial manner and retain the trust of the public, specifically ban statements on how a candidate might rule on cases or interpret the law. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026

Friday’s hearing was held in Uvalde, though the trial of Gonzales was held in Corpus Christi in order to find an impartial jury, due to the widespread impact of the shooting on the Uvalde community. —Josh Margolin, ABC News, 12 June 2026

If Harris got her way, the perception would be that these are administration officials, not impartial judges. —Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026

Since establishing the Tokyo bureau over 30 years ago, our aim has been to bridge the gap between local nuance and global perspective, providing the kind of rigorous, impartial journalism that Japanese business leaders demand. —John Micklethwait, Bloomberg, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1587, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impartial

• marshal
• parshall
• partial

Kids Definition

impartial

adjective

im·​par·​tial (ˈ)im-ˈpär-shəl 

: treating all equally : not partial

an impartial judge

impartiality

(ˌ)im-ˌpär-shē-ˈal-ət-ē 

-ˌpär-ˈshal-

noun

impartially

(ˈ)im-ˈpärsh-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

impartial

adjective

im·​par·​tial im-ˈpär-shəl 

: not partial or biased : treating or affecting all equally

impartiality

im-ˌpär-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

impartially adverb