prejudice 1 of 2

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

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
The amounts of prejudice that are built up in those Kingdom Halls, unbelievable. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025 The case was dismissed with prejudice last week after a settlement was reached, according to court records. Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Earlier this month, Singapore’s High Court found Law to have breached his fiduciary duties and prejudiced the interest of creditors while navigating his company through the financial challenges stemming from the COVID pandemic. Lionel Lim, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2025 The Fed is prejudiced against vibrant growth. Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prejudice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prejudice
Noun
  • In a similar vein, Timnit Gebru, a computer scientist writing during her time working at Google, warned of the dangers of large language models acting as stochastic parrots, which repeat language patterns without understanding, and in doing so replicate the biases embedded in their training data.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Soumaya Hamdi said the footage had been manipulated to portray her husband negatively and was produced by an organization known for its anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias, targeting those who speak out against the treatment of Palestinians.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Good parenting can help protect kids from racism’s harmful effects, but what works in person might not work online.
    Alvin Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Cook’s broader economic research on inequality, innovation, and racism’s effect on invention brings policy relevance that might otherwise go overlooked.
    Kori Hale, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Yuileta Lopez, a teen growing up in Texas, decides to turn her anger and outrage into activism.
    Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The surge in demand is already driving up energy prices and fueling political backlash as sprawling data centers turn into election-season flashpoints in the communities where they are being constructed.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Before Public Enemy makes an appearance in the clip, Ruby Bridges is shown ending segregation, bravely walking into her elementary school in New Orleans in 1960.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The map has already faced fierce pushback from some Kansas City residents, who point to the fact that lawmakers used Troost Avenue, a historic symbol of segregation in Kansas City, as the dividing line between the 4th and 5th Districts.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prejudice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prejudice. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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