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
But those charges were dropped without prejudice — meaning charges could be filed again at a later date — in April 2022 as prosecutors were closing in on finding the woman's remains. Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 20 June 2025 Over recent years, Americans have seen their state and national leaders attempt to exploit ugly prejudice for political gain. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
Verb
The letter pointed to local rules in the Southern District of New York that state lawyers involved in jury selection and trials should refrain from making out-of-court statements that could prejudice jurors and interfere with a fair trial. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2025 Subramanian asked all parties to be in his courtroom at 8 a.m. Monday and reminded them to avoid making public statements that could prejudice the trial’s outcome. Adam Reiss, NBC news, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for prejudice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prejudice
Noun
  • This suggests that permeating gender bias in the hiring process may be what’s holding back women from being hired at all levels.
    Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Recency bias doesn't trust his ability to have an impact out West, but Brandon Graham assures NFL fans that Huff can still be very productive in the right system.
    Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • The book made theorizing about genetic differences between the races acceptable among certain corners of the mainstream right, paving the way for scientific racism’s resurgence in the Trump era.
    Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
  • In his remarks, Biden praised Till-Mobley for her courage in ensuring the world would see racism's horrors in her son's maimed body.
    Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
Verb
  • By 1913 Henry Ford’s moving-belt assembly line cut build time to 93 minutes, and cheap Texas oil kept the tank full, turning personal mobility from luxury to the default setting.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 June 2025
  • And proves once again that Southerners can turn almost anything into a dip.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • The largest detention center in California, Adelanto has for years been the focus of complaints from detainees, attorneys and state and federal inspectors about inadequate medical care, overly restrictive segregation and lax mental health services.
    Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
  • This is maybe understandable in the former states of the Confederacy where Republicans took control not as the Party of Lincoln, but as the alternative to the Democrats who had abandoned legal segregation after 90 years of succoring segregation and Jim Crow.
    Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Prejudice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prejudice. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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