BIAS Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'bias' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bias are predilection , prejudice , and prepossession . While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing. // a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Q: Where would 'predilection' be a reasonable alternative to 'bias'?

While in some cases nearly identical to bias , predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience. // a predilection for travel

Q: When can 'prejudice' be used instead of 'bias'?

The synonyms prejudice and bias are sometimes interchangeable, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance. // a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

Q: When is it sensible to use 'prepossession' instead of 'bias'?

While the synonyms prepossession and bias are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it. // a prepossession against technology

bias 1 of 3

noun

ˈbī-əs

Definition of bias next

as in prejudice

an attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting especially without considering any other possibilities he has a powerful bias towards sentimentality, which comes through even in his grittier stories

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tendency

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing from her youth she revealed a strong bias toward a life of the mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bias

2 of 3

adverb

as in diagonally

in a line or direction running from corner to corner made of fabric cut bias

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bias

3 of 3

verb

as in to turn

to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge bad reviews biased her against the movie, even though it starred one of her favorite actors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bias contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bias are predilection, prejudice, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Where would predilection be a reasonable alternative to bias?

While in some cases nearly identical to bias, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

When can prejudice be used instead of bias?

The synonyms prejudice and bias are sometimes interchangeable, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When is it sensible to use prepossession instead of bias?

While the synonyms prepossession and bias are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

Examples 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 bias

Noun

The department plans to contract with Sigma Squared, a consulting firm specializing in bias analysis, to enhance its use-of-force data reviews. —

Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 The lawsuit alleges that the program violates Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a Civil War-era law that bars racial bias in contracting, and asks a judge to issue an injunction blocking McDonald's from considering the race and ethnicity of scholarship applicants. —

Nate Raymond, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025

Verb

This biases the data, especially at economic turning points. —

Robert Barone, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024 Are sovereign ratings biased against economic growth in Africa? —

Ann Rutledge, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bias

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bias

Noun

The prejudice would be that Big Sandy would take a priority lien interest over the rights of these other creditors without those creditors being given notice and an opportunity to be heard.

Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Then Edward meets Oswald, a man with that same condition, who does not seek treatment and instead lives his life with a sense of freedom and empowerment, raising many questions about prejudice, appearance and victimization.

Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025

Definition of prejudice

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“Bias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bias. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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Last Updated: 20 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of bias

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