Bias: meaning, definitions and examples

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bias

 

[ ˈbaɪəs ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

in decision-making

Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Synonyms

discrimination, favoritism, partiality, prejudice, unfairness

Examples of usage

  • The hiring process should be free from bias.
  • Her bias towards traditional methods hindered innovation in the company.
  • The study aimed to uncover any bias in the data collection process.
  • It is important to address unconscious bias in the workplace.
  • The judge was accused of bias towards the defendant.
Context #2 | Verb

influencing unfairly

Cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something.

Synonyms

color, distort, influence, prejudice, skew

Examples of usage

  • The media coverage biased the public opinion.
  • Her personal experiences have biased her views on the matter.
  • The teacher's favoritism towards certain students biased the grading process.
  • It's important not to let personal feelings bias your judgment.
  • The survey results were biased due to the wording of the questions.

Translations

Translations of the word "bias" in other languages:

🇵🇹 viés

🇮🇳 पूर्वाग्रह

🇩🇪 Voreingenommenheit

🇮🇩 bias

🇺🇦 упередження

🇵🇱 stronniczość

🇯🇵 偏見 (へんけん)

🇫🇷 biais

🇪🇸 sesgo

🇹🇷 önyargı

🇰🇷 편견 (pyeongyeon)

🇸🇦 تحيز

🇨🇿 předpojatost

🇸🇰 predpojatosť

🇨🇳 偏见 (piānjiàn)

🇸🇮 pristranskost

🇮🇸 hlutdrægni

🇰🇿 ықтималдық

🇬🇪 მიკერძოება

🇦🇿 qərəz

🇲🇽 sesgo

Etymology

The word 'bias' originated from the Old French term 'biais,' meaning 'oblique, askew, or awry.' Over time, it evolved to describe a partiality or inclination towards a particular viewpoint. The concept of bias is integral to various fields such as psychology, sociology, and statistics, where it plays a significant role in understanding human behavior and decision-making processes.

See also: biased, unbiased.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #4,334, this word represents useful upper-intermediate vocabulary. Understanding and using it will help you express more complex ideas effectively.