impartial

Frequently Asked Questions About impartial

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