as in bias
the unfair practice of treating some people better than others
The favoritism of the boss led to many disgruntled employees. He accused the teacher of showing favoritism in assigning grades.
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Recent Examples of favoritism
As supply chains are chopped, local favoritism flourishes—and everywhere, American influence lessens.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025
Nearly 75% of workers don't feel comfortable reporting favoritism to HR, fearing negative repercussions.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
For a party that eschews political favoritism, this policy was designed to benefit a demographic that consistently votes Democratic.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025
And one in five employees have begun freelancing or started their own business to escape favoritism in traditional workplaces.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025
Nearly 75% of workers don't feel comfortable reporting favoritism to HR, fearing negative repercussions.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
For a party that eschews political favoritism, this policy was designed to benefit a demographic that consistently votes Democratic.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025
And one in five employees have begun freelancing or started their own business to escape favoritism in traditional workplaces.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favoritism
Noun
-
A lot of these racial differences are not explained by differences in criminal behavior, but rather, are the result of structural biases against Black and Latino adults, argues a 2022 Center for American Progress report.—
Christian Weller,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Nobody had accused him of political bias, though several Palestinian students had privately complained to Qasem Hassan about it.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Yet, those who identify as LGBTQ — especially transgender people — are still fighting battles for the right to exist without prejudice.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
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In a notice of settlement filed last week in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, with each side to pay its own fees and costs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2025
Noun
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His organization exists to dismantle the nepotism and gatekeeping pervasive in the art world.—
Byron Armstrong,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Succession is in large part an exploration of nepotism: people that have power and authority who have not earned it, but desperately want to retain it.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Now, some 114 years later, Californians have reached their limit with the cozy cronyism between the commission and the private utilities it is required to keep in check.—
Loretta Lynch,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2025
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But the administrative state is the quiet hand of cronyism working for decades in the most inefficient, sinister ways.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Favoritism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/favoritism. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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