bias 1 of 3

1
2

bias

2 of 3

adverb

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

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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bias
Noun
These models can produce outputs that are factually inaccurate, misleading or reflect harmful biases embedded in the training data. James Foulds, The Conversation, 18 June 2025 Hunter makes accusations against the judge's bias in Williams' case. Liza Esquibias, People.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
Trump and his allies have long attacked public broadcasters, alleging much of their news content is biased against conservatives and arguing taxpayers should not have to underwrite media coverage that is not supportive of his administration. Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 30 Apr. 2025 While we may be biased, there’s something special about a Southern summer. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bias
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bias
Noun
  • The series maintains a light touch and a brisk pace while managing to touch on class disparity and cultural prejudice without ever feeling preachy or forced.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 26 June 2025
  • But as with most anything, inherent prejudice reared its ugly head.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Having been sober for many decades herself, Bev recognizes the narcissism of addiction, the way addicts have a tendency to put themselves at the center of the universe.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • But beneath the surface, there’s often a fragile sense of self, defended by a deep need for control, an inability to tolerate shame, and a tendency to distort reality in ways that protect their internal world at the expense of those around them.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Adverb
  • The screen size is the most noticeable increase, 7.9 inches (measured diagonally), up from 6.2 inches.
    Sabrina Rojas Weiss, Parents, 26 June 2025
  • The Thunder had clinched the NBA title just minutes earlier at the Paycom Center, which sits diagonally across from the northeast corner of the park.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • By 1913 Henry Ford’s moving-belt assembly line cut build time to 93 minutes, and cheap Texas oil kept the tank full, turning personal mobility from luxury to the default setting.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 June 2025
  • And proves once again that Southerners can turn almost anything into a dip.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • But, actually, partiality is one of the reasons that scenarios are valuable.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
  • Murrow worked on Adlai Stevenson’s presidential campaign while at CBS, excusing his partiality as moral and intellectual superiority.
    Armond White, National Review, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And, swear to God, my inclination to be a doctor was that.
    Kimberly Dishongh, Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
  • And Just Like That is out of a inclination to see Carrie continue to live her messy and fabulous life as a pretty egregiously out-of-touch Manhattan socialite.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • In an age of division and partisanship, few issues receive more universal support than clean water and the Chesapeake Bay.
    Kristin Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2025
  • Trump didn’t create partisanship, political violence or negative partisanship.
    Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • In an unprecedented move, our public schools handed out hundreds of thousands of devices to help more than 1 million students continue to safely learn online with their teachers and classmates.
    Dr. Mitchell Katz, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Efficient energy storage is crucial for the transition to a low-carbon economy, which can impact everything from grid-scale energy storage to electric vehicles and portable devices.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bias. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bias

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!