one-sided
Americanadjective
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considering but one side of a matter or question; partial or unfair.
a one-sided judgment.
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with one party, contestant, side, etc., vastly superior; unbalanced; unequal.
a one-sided fight.
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existing or occurring on one side only.
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having but one side, or but one developed or finished side.
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having one side larger or more developed than the other.
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Law. involving the action of one person only.
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having the parts all on one side, as an inflorescence.
adjective
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considering or favouring only one side of a matter, problem, etc
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having all the advantage on one side
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larger or more developed on one side
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having, existing on, or occurring on one side only
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another term for unilateral
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denoting a surface on which any two points can be joined without crossing an edge See Möbius strip
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of one-sided
First recorded in 1805–15
Explanation
One-sided means only showing a single side of a complicated issue, or being biased. A newspaper article is one-sided if it presents just one opinion about a controversial topic. When television news gives a one-sided version of the facts, it's impossible for a viewer to get a clear picture of what's going on, especially when most political subjects have so many differing opinions. Another, much less controversial meaning of the adjective one-sided is simply "having only one side." You might be pleased to realize that your math test paper is one-sided, with questions only on the front.
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.
But the one-sided nature of that victory did not give Root room to show what kind of on-field captain he will be this time around.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
What’s tiresome is that in learning about them we have to sit through a one-sided lecture of the usual dreary sort.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Now, Citi research analyst David Chew believes “short-positioning has become sufficiently one-sided that any stabilization in AI sentiment could trigger a short-covering rally.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
An increased reliance on “premium formats” may seem like an obvious weapon in the increasingly one-sided war between at-home and theatrical viewing, but it is not the answer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
When I’d seen it, I’d thought Laura’s list was some one-sided character profile, a Luke-Hunter-at-his-worst sort of deal.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
