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bias
/ˈbaɪ.əs/
prejudice or favoritism
The judge recused herself because of a potential bias in the case.
The judge stepped aside due to a possible unfair preference that could affect the outcome.
formal
Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.
Media bias can influence public opinion on political issues.
News outlets may favor certain political views, shaping how the audience perceives events.
Unconscious bias affects hiring decisions in many companies.
Employers may unintentionally favor candidates who resemble themselves in background or appearance.
Bias can be conscious (deliberate) or unconscious (automatic). It often stems from stereotypes or personal experiences.
technical
Statistical sampling error where data is not representative of the population.
The survey had a gender bias because it included more men than women.
The results were skewed because the sample overrepresented one gender.
Common in research; addressed through random sampling or stratification.
formal
To show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something.
The teacher was accused of biasing the test results in favor of her students.
The teacher was suspected of unfairly adjusting scores to benefit her own students.
Often used in passive constructions (e.g., 'be biased against').
Collocations
confirmation biasfavoring information that confirms preexisting beliefscognitive biassystematic error in thinking that affects decisionsgender biasprejudice based on a person's genderracial biasprejudice based on a person's racebias againstunfairly favoring someone or something less
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoiding bias in writing
Use neutral language and avoid loaded terms. For example, instead of 'foreigners,' use 'people from other countries.'
Gold Rule
Bias vs. Prejudice
Bias is a tendency or inclination, while prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. All prejudices are biases, but not all biases are prejudices.
Word Origin
From Old French 'biais' (oblique, slanting), derived from Vulgar Latin '*biāsius' (slanting, sideways), of uncertain origin but possibly from Greek 'epikarsios' (oblique). The figurative sense of 'prejudice' emerged in the 16th century.
Usage Notes
Bias is often discussed in contexts like media, hiring, education, and law. It can be positive or negative but is typically viewed negatively when it leads to unfair treatment. The term 'bias' can function as a noun, verb, or adjective (e.g., 'a biased opinion').
Word Breakdown
bi-
oblique, slanting (from Old French)
root-as
suffix forming nouns
suffixEnglish Dictionary