Synonyms of bias

bias 1 of 3

noun

ˈbī-əs 

1

as in prejudice

an attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting especially without considering any other possibilities

he has a powerful bias towards sentimentality, which comes through even in his grittier stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prejudice
• tendency
• partiality
• partisanship
• tendentiousness
• one-sidedness
• ply
• favoritism
• favor
• parti pris
• nonobjectivity
• chauvinism
• nepotism
• cronyism
• predisposition
• inclination
• proclivity
• predilection
• propensity
• penchant
• prejudgment
• preconception
• bent
• leaning
• prepossession
• self-opinionatedness
• self-partiality

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• neutrality
• objectivity
• impartiality
• indifference
• detachment
• unbiasedness
• hate
• calm
• open-mindedness
• dislike
• aversion
• distaste
• dispassion
• scunner

2

as in tendency

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

from her youth she revealed a strong bias toward a life of the mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tendency
• inclination
• devices
• aptitude
• affinity
• affection
• predisposition
• impulse
• partiality
• proclivity
• predilection
• knack
• disposition
• propensity
• preference
• penchant
• prejudice
• talent
• bent
• addiction
• genius
• leaning
• bone
• turn
• appetite
• gift
• partisanship
• habitude
• flair
• liking
• taste
• favor
• one-sidedness
• fondness
• endowment
• habit
• pattern
• faculty
• practice
• like
• eccentricity
• specialty
• speciality
• singularity
• idiosyncrasy
• quirk
• custom
• forte
• fancy
• peculiarity
• convention
• routine
• wont
• kink
• oddity
• way
• trick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• aversion
• distaste
• allergy
• neutrality
• objectivity
• impartiality
• disinclination
• disfavor
• detachment
• indifference
• disliking
• averseness
• apathy
• disrelish
• disinterestedness
• nonchalance
• unconcern
• insouciance

bias

2 of 3

adverb

as in diagonally

in a line or direction running from corner to corner

made of fabric cut bias

Synonyms & Similar Words

• diagonally
• on the bias
• on the diagonal
• across
• obliquely
• transversely
• crosswise
• crossways
• athwart
• cornerways
• cornerwise
• kitty-corner

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• longitudinally
• lengthwise

bias

3 of 3

verb

as in to turn

to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge

bad reviews biased her against the movie, even though it starred one of her favorite actors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• turn
• prejudice
• convince
• persuade
• poison
• influence
• incline
• predispose
• dispose
• suggest
• prepossess

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bias contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bias are predilection, prejudice, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Where would predilection be a reasonable alternative to bias?

While in some cases nearly identical to bias, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

When can prejudice be used instead of bias?

The synonyms prejudice and bias are sometimes interchangeable, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When is it sensible to use prepossession instead of bias?

While the synonyms prepossession and bias are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

How does the noun bias contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bias are predilection, prejudice, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Where would predilection be a reasonable alternative to bias?

While in some cases nearly identical to bias, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

When can prejudice be used instead of bias?

The synonyms prejudice and bias are sometimes interchangeable, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When is it sensible to use prepossession instead of bias?

While the synonyms prepossession and bias are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

How does the noun bias contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bias are predilection, prejudice, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Where would predilection be a reasonable alternative to bias?

While in some cases nearly identical to bias, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

When can prejudice be used instead of bias?

The synonyms prejudice and bias are sometimes interchangeable, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When is it sensible to use prepossession instead of bias?

While the synonyms prepossession and bias are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bias

Noun

To demonstrate the district attorney’s alleged bias, the motion highlighted the examination of witness John Richardson, a Loyola Marymount University student from the Bay Area who was among the 13 arrested in 2024 but later entered a youth diversion program after pleading no contest. —Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026

Population-level modeling has shown the extreme bias that can be generated. —Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026

Verb

Parents can answer questions about their child — such as in the NSCH survey — but can be biased or misinterpret questions, especially if English isn’t their first language. —Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026

Parents can answer questions about their child — such as in the National Survey of Children’s Health — but can be biased or misinterpret questions, especially if English isn’t their first language. —Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026

Phrases Containing bias

• on the bias