impartiality
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of impartiality
Explanation
Impartiality is a quality of not being biased in one direction or another. Submissions for a school writing contest might be anonymous, to ensure the judges' impartiality. Impartiality is important in legal proceedings, and jury members are screened to make sure they don't have a preconceived opinion that would sway their decision. If you're partial, you have a strong preference for someone or something — whether you're partial to chocolate ice cream or partial to cats. Impartiality, on the other hand, is a neutral, objective feeling. Your culinary impartiality makes you an ideal dining companion; you don't care whether you have Indian food or pizza.
Vocabulary lists containing impartiality
Astronauts
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The Time Machine
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"The Federalist No. 10," Vocabulary from the argument
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An FDA already struggling with credibility shouldn’t invite further doubts about judgment and impartiality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Vorderman's radio show was not on the "flagship" list and the issue with her posts was to do with civility, rather than impartiality.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
A European Commission notice from 2021 defines a conflict of interest as a situation wherein a "financial actor's" impartiality is compromised "for reasons involving... economic interest or any other direct or indirect personal interest".
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
"I have impartiality through my bones," he told the committee, saying it was "drummed" into him when he joined the BBC in 1991.
From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025
It would be wrong to read it back into the Scientific Revolution; before the precision instrumentation of the Industrial Revolution impartiality and judgement were virtues, not ways of re-describing professional competence.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
