bias

1 of 4

noun

bi·​as ˈbī-əs How to pronounce bias (audio)
Synonyms of biasnext
1
a
: an inclination of temperament or outlook
especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice
b
: an instance of such prejudice
c
: bent, tendency
d(1)
: deviation of the expected value of a statistical estimate from the quantity it estimates
(2)
: systematic error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others
2
: a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric
especially : a line at a 45 degree angle to the selvage often utilized in the cutting of garments for smoother fit
3
a
: a peculiarity in the shape of a bowl that causes it to swerve when rolled on the green in lawn bowling
b
: the tendency of a bowl to swerve
also : the impulse causing this tendency
c
: the swerve of the bowl
4
a
: a voltage applied to a device (such as a transistor control electrode) to establish a reference level for operation
b
: a high-frequency voltage combined with an audio signal to reduce distortion in tape recording

bias

2 of 4

verb

biased or biassed; biasing or biassing

transitive verb

1
: to give a settled and often prejudiced outlook to
his background biases him against foreigners
2
: to apply a slight negative or positive voltage to (something, such as a transistor)

bias

3 of 4

adjective

: diagonal, slanting
—used chiefly of fabrics and their cut
biasness noun

bias

4 of 4

adverb

1
: diagonally
cut cloth bias
2
obsolete : awry
Phrases
on the bias
1
: diagonally to the grain of a fabric
cut the cloth on the bias
sleeves cut on the bias
2
: at an angle : diagonally to the fibers of something
cut the meat on the bias
carrots cut on the bias

Did you know?

Bias vs. Biased

In recent years, we have seen more evidence of the adjectival bias in constructions like “a bias news program” instead of the more usual “a biased news program.” The reason is likely because of aural confusion: the -ed of biased may be filtered out by hearers, which means that bias and biased can sound similar in the context of normal speech. They are not interchangeable, however. The adjective that means “exhibited or characterized by an unreasoned judgment” is biased (“a biased news story”). There is an adjective bias, but it means “diagonal” and is used only of fabrics (“a bias cut across the fabric”).

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for bias

Noun

predilection, prepossession, prejudice, bias mean an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something.

predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Verb

incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something.

incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

I incline to agree

bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

Examples of bias in a Sentence

Noun … members of the opinion media will cherry-pick moments from the debate that support their own ideological biases. — Michelle Cottle, New Republic, 16 Oct. 2000
Blatant racial and gender discrimination is just about over, creating a sociological space in which to worry about subtler forms of bias. — Gregg Easterbrook, New Republic, 20 Dec. 1999
Like the printing press before it, the computer has a powerful bias toward amplifying personal autonomy and individual problem-solving. — Katha Pollitt, Nation, 9 Oct. 1995
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Institutions must adopt continuous monitoring and auditing to identify and correct biases. — Sidhant Bendre, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Counter this bias by emphasizing your successful adoption of new tools or systems throughout your career. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
Defense attorneys say the description will potentially bias the jury. — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025 The Final Cut Given that The Boys is a memoir, some of the remembrances—although researched—may be biased. — John Baldoni, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bias

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, Adjective, and Adverb

Middle French biais

First Known Use

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

circa 1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bias was in 1530

Phrases Containing bias

Rhymes for bias

See All Rhymes for bias

Browse Nearby Words

bias
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Cite this Entry

“Bias.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bias. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

bias

1 of 2 noun
bi·​as ˈbī-əs How to pronounce bias (audio)
1
: a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric
2
: an attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting over any other : prejudice
3
: a voltage applied to a device (as a transistor control electrode) to establish a reference level for operation

bias

2 of 2 verb
biased or biassed; biasing or biassing
: to give a prejudiced outlook to

Legal Definition

bias

noun
bi·​as ˈbī-əs How to pronounce bias (audio)
: a personal and often unreasoned judgment for or against one side in a dispute : prejudice
a judge disqualified because of bias

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