impartial 1 of 2

Definition of impartialnext

impartiality

2 of 2

noun

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
Adjective
However, the Chinese are not impartial. Jennifer Pak, NPR, 8 Mar. 2026 Our reviews are impartial and our opinions are our own. New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
In doing so, the Maryland judge adopted a narrower viewpoint on preemption while not seeing why requiring Kalshi to comply with Maryland laws would violate CEA impartiality. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Feb. 2026 The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impartial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impartial
Adjective
  • An airport offers, if not exactly an equitable experience (there are Clear lines, lounge archipelagos), then at least a perceptible simulacrum of equality, in that everyone rides the same people movers past the same Cinnabons.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The type of hospital services that states will assess matters, said Tony Shih, a senior adviser at the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit focused on making health care more equitable.
    Aaron Bolton, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Luminate has a series of extensive checks and balances in place to detect any fraudulent data from providers to ensure the objectivity of the chart.
    Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Having cast doubt on Beatty’s objectivity, Hilborn then made the case that Wilkens’ fear may have stemmed from something other than abuse.
    Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • That’s nearly equal to the average Wall Street bonus for 2025.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Dating back to the Great Recession and the Covid pandemic, when private investment firms began pouring billions into purchasing single-family homes, the issue has become an equal-opportunity boogeyman.
    Bob Woods, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Let every new person, every new opportunity be greeted with neutrality, then observation, then placement.
    Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • That neutrality could come at a cost, some experts say, should the two GOP aspirants prevail.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Episode 3 is a little more objective.
    William Earl, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
  • This might be particularly impactful coming from a computer, which users subconsciously view as more objective than a human.
    Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • India, an avatar of forceful neutralism early on, saw its influence diminished by regional conflict and domestic troubles.
    Erez Manela, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
  • Globalizing impulses helped bring about a flourishing of neutralism.
    Leo Robson, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2016
Noun
  • Scholl was a walking catalogue who brought his journalistic objectiveness to preservation, Matuszewicz said.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impartial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impartial. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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