subjectivity

noun

sub·jec·tiv·i·ty | \ (ˌ)səb-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē

Definition of subjectivity

: the quality, state, or nature of being subjective Any attempt to link landscapes and music together can suffer from some measure of subjectivity.— David J. Keeling He thinks that scientists and philosophers have unjustly neglected the subjectivity of conscious experience and that this has made it harder for them to explain some of the workings of the mind.— Anthony Gottlieb

Examples of subjectivity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There is a fascinating correlation of science and art, objectivity and subjectivity. — Vanessa Lawrence, ELLE Decor, "Artist CJ Hendry’s New Show Is Completely Insane," 17 Apr. 2019 But ending subjectivity is impossible, and if Morocco passes its evaluation and arrives in Moscow with a chance, subjective is what FIFA and the United Bid will get. — Brian Straus, SI.com, "Concacaf Nations' 'Preference' for Morocco's 2026 World Cup Bid Adds to Voting Uncertainty," 5 Apr. 2018 But in the end, there's always going to be a certain degree of subjectivity and bias. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Complex networks study ranks the most influential films of all time," 3 Dec. 2018 Still, the sense of subjectivity is not lost but rather emphasized with a cinematic tone. — Kate Klausner, Vogue, "Hugh Jackman Trades Wolverine for Politics at Last Night’s Premiere of The Front Runner," 31 Oct. 2018 And there is some subjectivity in all this type of stuff. — Adam Jude, The Seattle Times, "UW’s Chris Petersen on Colorado win, Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, Cal’s Justin Wilcox, Pac-12 officiating and more," 22 Oct. 2018 But Lightman’s aim in this insightful and provocative musing is to remind us of the centrality of subjectivity in all human endeavors, including those of science. — Michael Shermer, New York Times, "Must Science Conflict With Spirituality?," 25 June 2018 On-field reviews have been efficient, and while subjectivity still exists (many feel that’s a good thing), several game-changing plays have been reviewed and adjudicated accurately thanks to the technology. — Brian Straus, SI.com, "The World Cup of Chaos: Looking Back on a Group Stage for the Ages," 29 June 2018 In a high-stakes industry where competitive edges are built on subjectivity and interpretation, here comes a cold and uncomfortable and airtight point straight from the mouth of a rival scout. — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, "Here's why the Royals should at least be open to trading Salvador Perez," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subjectivity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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16 May 2019

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The first known use of subjectivity was in 1803

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More Definitions for subjectivity

subjectivity

noun

sub·jec·tiv·i·ty | \ ˌsəb-jek-ˈtiv-ət-ē

plural subjectivities

Medical Definition of subjectivity

1 : subjective character, quality, state, or nature

2 : the personal qualities of an investigator that affect the outcome of scientific or medical research (as by unconsciously communicating a bias to the subject of the experiment)