one-sided

adjective

one-sid·​ed ˈwən-ˈsī-dəd How to pronounce one-sided (audio)
1
a(1)
: having one side prominent : lopsided
(2)
: having or occurring on one side only
b
: limited to one side : partial
a one-sided interpretation
2
: unilateral
a one-sided decision
one-sidedly adverb
one-sidedness noun

Examples of one-sided in a Sentence

my neighbor's account of how the feud got started was somewhat one-sided
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Wednesday’s win, however, was the team’s most one-sided since a 4-0 victory over Seattle in mid May. Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025 Others, like France and Spain, appear more dug-in, urging the EU not to agree to a deal that feels unbalanced or overly one-sided on tariffs. Myron Brilliant, Time, 9 July 2025 But at the same time, Auckland only brought a few fans to the Club World Cup and the results in their other games were so one-sided that Boca had the slightly ridiculous task of needing to win 6-0 to have any chance of reaching the next round. Steve Price, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 The relationship is so one-sided that Chicago, where the World Cup opened in 1994, backed out of the 2026 tournament citing the costs to the public. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025 Besides dyspnea, sharp and one-sided chest pain is typical.8 Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction to a trigger (e.g., food, medicine, or insect stings). Laura Campedelli, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025 Two years after defying expectations in Istanbul — pushing Manchester City hard in a final many had predicted would be the most one-sided in history — Inter, gallingly, in the end found themselves on the wrong end of the most one-sided final ever. James Horncastle, New York Times, 2 June 2025 While effort is essential in any relationship, effort that feels one-sided can lead to emotional burnout. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025 Even before the cutoff, any benefits have been one-sided in favor of India. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 5 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-sided was circa 1793

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Cite this Entry

“One-sided.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-sided. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

one-sided

adjective
one-sid·​ed
ˈwən-ˈsīd-əd
1
a
: having one side more developed
b
: having or happening on one side only
2
: favoring one side : partial
a one-sided view of the case
one-sidedly adverb
one-sidedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on one-sided

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