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
Derived 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.
Love is overwhelming but can still be one-sided, an imbalance that love’s all-consuming nature disguises.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
RCB restricted Gujarat to 155-8, a total they chased down with 12 balls to spare after Kohli reached his fifth half-century of the season in a largely one-sided final in Ahmedabad.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
The paradox arises only if we insist on describing horizons using a single, one-sided arrow of time extrapolated to infinity — an assumption quantum mechanics itself does not require.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
Contracts may also be rescinded if they contain unconscionable terms, meaning the agreement is extremely one-sided or harsh — especially in cases involving a serious mistake by one party that makes enforcement unfair.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
The work to get there had been one-sided, of course, with Barack alone trying to fill every gap and understand every mystery the senior Obama had ever created.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
