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 couple first emigrated to Ecuador, then to Colombia, but left fearing growing prejudice against Venezuelans. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025 When Atsu was first revealed as the game’s protagonist, reactionaries jumped to disavow the sequel, citing bad-faith reasoning that failed to hide their prejudices. Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
The state Court of Appeals found that the judge in the 2020 trial prejudiced the jury by allowing women with allegations that did not pertain to the case to testify. Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025 Molo argued that his request for an extension does not prejudice class counsel’s motion for attorney’s fees, which has not been ruled on by the court, and is stayed until all appeals are decided. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for prejudice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prejudice
Noun
  • East Coast bias accusations may come in here, and Aaron Judge will promptly swat them 400 feet.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Health insurers have argued that AI eliminates human error and bias and will save the health care system money.
    Lauren Sausser, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 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
  • Chemical reactions involving the hematite can turn the rock from red to white and produce iron rich minerals, in this case an iron phosphate called vivianite and an iron sulfide called greigite.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Perhaps more worrying for Browns fans has been Flacco's propensity to turn the ball over, throwing six interceptions thus far, the second most of any quarterback in football through the first four weeks.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Verbatim Zora Neale Hurston In a controversial letter, the versatile author expressed frustration with critics of segregation.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The district previously applied for the grant in 2020 but was denied in part due to its lack of effort in reducing segregation in magnet programs.
    Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prejudice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prejudice. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on prejudice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!