unbiased
Americanadjective
adjective
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having no bias or prejudice; fair or impartial
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statistics
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(of a sample) not affected by any extraneous factors, conflated variables, or selectivity which influence its distribution; random
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(of an estimator) having an expected value equal to the parameter being estimated; having zero bias
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Also called: discriminatory. (of a significance test). Having a power greater than the predetermined significance level
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unbiased
Explanation
To be unbiased, you have to be 100% fair — you can't have a favorite, or opinions that would color your judgment. For example, to make things as unbiased as possible, judges of an art contest didn't see the artists' names or the names of their schools and hometowns. You are unbiased if you can assess situations with a completely open mind. The root of unbiased is bias, which probably comes from the Greek word epikarsios, meaning “athwart,” “crosswise,” or “oblique.” When you have a bias, you look at the situation “from the side,” such as the side of someone who personally hates seafood telling you that Lobster Larry's is a terrible restaurant. To be unbiased you don't have biases affecting you; you are impartial and would probably make a good judge.
Vocabulary lists containing unbiased
Power Prefix: un-
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Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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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.
In response, Pacala says that Princeton was “advancing its own interest to provide to the public unbiased information.”
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026
You can get free, unbiased help navigating your Medicare options from your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program External link.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
The company said the deal “reflects our existing and ongoing commitment to provide our clients with unbiased advice as they decide where to place their media.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
“It was and is my judgment that these facts would not cause a reasonable and unbiased person to doubt my ability to decide the matters in question impartially,” Alito wrote.
From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026
According to Hickock, the “hostile atmosphere” in Garden City had made it impossible to empanel an unbiased jury, and therefore a change of venue should have been granted.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
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.
