objectivity

noun

ob·​jec·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌäb-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē 

əb-

: the quality or character of being objective : lack of favoritism toward one side or another : freedom from bias

Many people questioned the selection committee's objectivity.

It can be difficult for parents to maintain objectivity about their children's accomplishments.

Many critics disputed the objectivity and reliability of his field observations, foreshadowing current anthropological concerns about the ability of any fieldworker to rise above personal preconceptions and impartially describe another culture.

—Bruce Bower

In journalistic circles, there was a good deal of hand-wringing that the bonds forged between reporters and soldiers could threaten objectivity.

—Mark Jurkowitz

Synonyms

• detachment
• disinterest
• disinterestedness
• equity
• evenhandedness
• fair-mindedness
• fairness
• impartiality
• justice
• neutralism
• neutrality
• nonpartisanship
• objectiveness

Examples of objectivity in a Sentence

the teacher's objectivity would be seriously compromised if his own child were placed in the class

Recent Examples on the Web

Assessing the root of conflict requires objectivity. —Sonal Jain, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Every news organization that feigns objectivity is actually heavily slanted toward the left. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024

These evaluations humanize the defendant while maintaining forensic objectivity. —Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024

But regardless of whether their warnings prove prophetic, their plight illustrates the hard boundaries of a social order that prides itself on objectivity and rationality. —Evan Malmgren, Harper's Magazine, 21 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

objective entry 1 + -ity

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above