one-sided

American  

[wuhn-sahy-did] / ˈwʌnˈsaɪ dɪd /

adjective

1. considering but one side of a matter or question; partial or unfair.

   a one-sided judgment.

2. with one party, contestant, side, etc., vastly superior; unbalanced; unequal.

   a one-sided fight.

3. existing or occurring on one side only.

4. having but one side, or but one developed or finished side.

5. having one side larger or more developed than the other.

6. Law. involving the action of one person only.

7. having the parts all on one side, as an inflorescence.

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one-sided British  

adjective

1. considering or favouring only one side of a matter, problem, etc

2. having all the advantage on one side

3. larger or more developed on one side

4. having, existing on, or occurring on one side only

5. another term for unilateral

6. denoting a surface on which any two points can be joined without crossing an edge See Möbius strip

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Other Word Forms

• one-sidedly adverb
• one-sidedness noun

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

The audience understood, viscerally, what could be asked of their countries—and that the pressure wasn’t one-sided.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Russia, a long-time ally of Tehran, has denounced what it calls one-sided measures.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

This one-sided empathy is not a spontaneous response to compelling facts, however.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

"Secondly, untrue facts are being disseminated on the basis of a one-sided account," it continued.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

I walk eight more sidewalk lines, noticing city sounds more than before: the beeping of a backing-up truck, the one-sided cell phone conversations, the rattling of tires over potholes.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

Related Words

• discriminatory
• partisan
• unequal
• unfair
• unjust