Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective impartial contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of impartial are dispassionate, equitable, fair, just, objective, and unbiased. While all these words mean "free from favor toward either or any side," impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice.

an impartial third party

When could dispassionate be used to replace impartial?

The synonyms dispassionate and impartial are sometimes interchangeable, but dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment.

a dispassionate summation of the facts

How do equitable and just relate to one another, in the sense of impartial?

Equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned.

the equitable distribution of the property

In what contexts can fair take the place of impartial?

The words fair and impartial can be used in similar contexts, but fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests.

a fair decision

When is just a more appropriate choice than impartial?

The words just and impartial are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.

a just settlement of territorial claims

When would objective be a good substitute for impartial?

While in some cases nearly identical to impartial, objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings.

I can't be objective about my own child

When might unbiased be a better fit than impartial?

In some situations, the words unbiased and impartial are roughly equivalent. However, unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice.

your unbiased opinion

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 impartial When discussing the current war, Finkel shifts from impartial historian to passionate accuser, condemning Putin’s aggression as an act of genocide. Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 The government counters that the independence requirement means the task force is supposed to make recommendations based on their impartial medical and public-health judgments. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025 Democracy depends on impartial information, not the shifting whims of one billionaire. Jenavieve Hatch, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Most golf fans with no real allegiance were rooting for McIlroy to complete the Slam after more than a decade of failures at Augusta National, just as most impartial baseball fans rooted for the 2016 Cubs to beat Cleveland and end their 107-year championship drought. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impartial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impartial
Adjective
  • The Cook County Board of Review has consistently advocated for reforms to improve initial assessments and ensure equitable outcomes for all taxpayers.
    George Cardenas, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
  • The group later delivered a letter to the governor’s office that called for equitable school funding and the passage of Senate Bill 1511, which has passed out of the Education Committee and has been sent to Appropriations.
    Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • The film’s blank spaces and ambiguities linger even after a melodramatic pivot that’s easily seen coming, and will entice and confound viewers in equal measure.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 May 2025
  • The survey results often provide validation and locker-room white-board fodder in equal parts for teams eager to prove themselves.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Stop wasting taxpayer money trying to close and redevelop an airport that two independent, objective studies have concluded benefits the area and should remain open.
    Craig A. Raabe, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025
  • Efforts to politicize objective research on LGBTQ youth mental health are nothing new.
    Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impartial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impartial. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on impartial

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