prejudice 1 of 2

Definition of prejudicenext

prejudice

2 of 2

verb

as in to bias
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge all the bad stories I had heard about the incoming CEO prejudiced me against him even before the first meeting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun prejudice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of prejudice are bias, predilection, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When would bias be a good substitute for prejudice?

The synonyms bias and prejudice are sometimes interchangeable, but bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

When is predilection a more appropriate choice than prejudice?

The words predilection and prejudice are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

In what contexts can prepossession take the place of prejudice?

The meanings of prepossession and prejudice largely overlap; however, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

How does the noun prejudice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of prejudice are bias, predilection, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When would bias be a good substitute for prejudice?

The synonyms bias and prejudice are sometimes interchangeable, but bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

When is predilection a more appropriate choice than prejudice?

The words predilection and prejudice are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

In what contexts can prepossession take the place of prejudice?

The meanings of prepossession and prejudice largely overlap; however, 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 prejudice
Noun
Author Ross concentrates on how organizations like the Anti-Defamation League fought post-World War II prejudice and violence. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 Three customers who filed a class-action lawsuit in January 2026 against the company voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit, per a March 30 notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice obtained by PEOPLE. Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
For their part, Berman and Bryant have a reason to be prejudiced against trees, but Berman doesn’t hold a grudge after a tree crushed one of their cars on Bryant’s birthday nine years ago. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026 The appellate court found that consolidating the cases prejudiced the jury. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prejudice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prejudice
Noun
  • When asked to evaluate the athletes based on their stats alone, without knowing their race, that bias disappeared.
    Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Apr. 2026
  • For years, Musk has accused both Delaware and California of bias against him or his companies, moving Tesla and SpaceX headquarters from California to Texas, and reincorporating his businesses, former Delaware corporations, in Nevada and Texas.
    Ashley Capoot,Kate Rooney, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • While racism’s roots run deep in America and many factors contribute to it, Florida’s Republican leaders have spent the last eight years helping stoke the fires.
    Mary Ellen Klas, Twin Cities, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Vampires emerge not as mere monsters but as spectral embodiments of racism’s unending drain on Black life in the South, a haunting metaphor for generational trauma.
    Essence, Essence, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Barbara Eden turned heads after sharing a new photo that left fans doing a double take.
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Crucially, staff receive thorough training on proper waste segregation, ensuring items go into the correct bin.
    Srinidhi Polkampally, STAT, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Black service helped justify the passage of the Reconstruction Amendments, but Reconstruction saw Black men disenfranchised and subjected to Jim Crow segregation.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prejudice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prejudice. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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