bias
bias — noun
1. an unfair slant in judgment caused by personal views, not by the facts
an unfair slant in judgment caused by personal views, not by the facts
The judge was removed because his bias against young drivers was clear.
collocation: bias against + group
News readers should not let political bias shape their reports.
During the interview, Maria noticed a bias in favor of city schools.
pattern: bias in favor of
The hiring report showed bias, so the board ordered fresh interviews.
- political bias
- racial bias
- bias against
- bias in favor of
- prejudice
often stronger and more negative, especially about people or groups
- partiality
more formal and stresses unfair support for one side
- favoritism
focuses on giving special treatment, not just holding an opinion
- slant
informal; often used for news or reporting
- fairness
judging without giving one side extra weight
- impartiality
formal word for not favoring either side
- objectivity
focuses on facts instead of personal feelings
Grammar Patterns
bias against someone
bias toward someone or something
bias in favor of someone or something
Usage Note
Common after against, toward, or in favor of. Distinguish from noun/2, which can describe a simple liking without unfairness.
Common Mistakes
2. a natural liking, tendency, or talent for one subject or kind of thing
a natural liking, tendency, or talent for one subject or kind of thing
Evan has a bias toward history and reads war books for fun.
pattern: bias toward + subject
Her design work shows a clear bias for simple colors.
At school, Nina felt a bias toward science rather than art.
The club's music choices reveal a bias toward slow songs.
- bias toward history
- bias for simple design
- natural bias
- artistic bias
- preference
the most general word for liking one choice more than another
- inclination
slightly formal; stresses a natural tendency
- bent
fairly formal; often suggests a natural ability or mental direction
- taste
often used for likes in art, food, or style
- indifference
lack of special interest or liking
Grammar Patterns
bias toward something
bias for something
Usage Note
Often followed by toward or for. It can describe taste, study interest, or a natural gift, and it does not have to suggest unfairness.
Common Mistakes
3. a one-sided pattern in research information caused by the way it was gathered
a one-sided pattern in research information caused by the way it was gathered
The survey had a bias because it asked only online shoppers.
cause of bias in sampling
Doctors checked the study for age bias in the patient group.
If one camera misses dark skin, the training data carries bias.
bias in training data
The team removed bias by adding answers from small towns.
- sampling bias
- selection bias
- bias in the data
- remove bias
- distortion
general word for something made less accurate
- skew
often used for data that leans too much in one direction
- systematic error
technical term for an error that happens in a repeated way
- balance
an even spread without one side getting extra weight
- representativeness
technical term for data that matches the wider group well
Grammar Patterns
bias in the data
remove bias from a study
Usage Note
Common in research, surveys, and machine learning. The problem usually comes from who or what was included, left out, or measured.
4. the built-in off-center shape in a bowls ball, causing it to curve as it rolls
the built-in off-center shape in a bowls ball, causing it to curve as it rolls
Liam aimed wide because the bowl's bias would bring the bowl back.
the bowl's bias
Coach Tan showed the children how the bias changed the path.
On the wet green, the bowl's strong bias sent it past the jack.
Players test each bowl's bias before the match begins.
- the bowl's bias
- strong bias
- test the bias
- bias on the green
- straight roll
describes movement without a sideways bend
Grammar Patterns
the bowl's bias
strong bias
Usage Note
Mostly used in bowls. It can name the built-in uneven shape or, by extension, the curve that shape produces.
5. a diagonal direction across cloth, running between the straight threads
a diagonal direction across cloth, running between the straight threads
Ms. Chen marked the bias before cutting the silk dress.
The tailor folded the cloth to find the true bias.
find the true bias in cloth
A sleeve seam on the bias stretches more easily at the elbow.
pattern: on the bias
Rosa drew a chalk line along the bias of the fabric.
- on the bias
- along the bias
- find the bias
- bias of the fabric
- diagonal
general word for a slanting line or direction
- cross-grain line
more technical and descriptive in sewing
- straight grain
the cloth direction that follows the main threads
Grammar Patterns
on the bias
along the bias
Usage Note
Usually appears in sewing language, especially in phrases like on the bias or along the bias. It names the diagonal direction itself, not the finished cutting method in noun/6.
6. the way cloth is cut diagonally so a garment falls more softly
the way cloth is cut diagonally so a garment falls more softly
The skirt hangs well because it was cut on the bias.
fixed phrase: cut on the bias
This dress uses the bias through the hips for easier movement.
Designers choose the bias for silk gowns that need a soft fall.
Aunt May showed us why silk drapes better on the bias.
- cut on the bias
- dress on the bias
- skirt on the bias
- use the bias
- diagonal cut
plain descriptive term for the same method
- cross-grain cut
technical sewing term, though not always exactly the same in use
- straight-grain cut
cloth cut in line with the main threads
Grammar Patterns
cut on the bias
Usage Note
Most often appears in the fixed phrase cut on the bias. Distinguish from noun/5, which names the diagonal line or direction in the cloth.
Common Mistakes
bias — verb
1. to make a person's judgment or a set of results lean unfairly to one side
to make a person's judgment or a set of results lean unfairly to one side
Leading questions can bias children during a police interview.
bias + person
Free tickets may bias voters before the town election.
A dirty camera lens biased the final count of cars.
bias + results
The coach tried not to bias the judges with private comments.
- bias voters
- bias the jury
- bias the results
- bias children
- balance
to keep different sides even
- neutralize
to remove the force that pushes one way
Grammar Patterns
bias someone
bias the results
bias someone against or toward something
Usage Note
The object is usually a person's judgment, a group of voters, or a set of results. It often names something that makes a fair process lean one way.
Common Mistakes
bias — adjective
1. cut or placed at a slant across cloth threads
cut or placed at a slant across cloth threads
The tailor pinned a bias strip around the neck hole.
collocation: bias strip
The sleeve needs a bias edge here so the elbow can bend.
collocation: bias edge
The pattern uses bias pieces so the skirt can swing when Anna walks.
Her bias-cut skirt gave the plain cotton a softer fall.
collocation: bias cut
- bias cut
- bias strip
- bias edge
- bias binding
- straight-grain
running in the same direction as the cloth threads
Grammar Patterns
bias cut
bias strip
bias edge
Usage Note
Almost always appears before a noun in sewing, as in bias cut, bias strip, or bias edge.
Word family
- biasedadjectiveB2
- unbiasedadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
For noun/1, bias is the broadest choice for an unfair lean in judgment. Prejudice is usually stronger and often targets a social group, so it sounds harsher. Partiality is more formal and often appears in legal, official, or academic writing. Favoritism focuses on actions that give one person or side special treatment, not just the opinion behind them. Slant is informal and is common when talking about media or the way information is presented. You can say a teacher showed favoritism to one student, a report had a political slant, or a hiring panel was accused of bias.
Common collocations
Etymology
English borrowed bias from French. The earlier idea was something slanting or off-center, especially in cloth or movement. From that physical sense, English later developed the figurative meaning of a mind or result leaning to one side instead of staying even.