Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Free from bias or prejudice: Not favoring one side, person, or group more than another; fair and just.
   • Not partial: Not having a preference or being influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and deciding matters.

Usage

The word "impartial" is used to describe a person, judgment, process, or system that is fair, neutral, and unbiased. It is often used in formal contexts related to law, journalism, science, and administration.

Examples

• Describing a person:
  • A judge must remain impartial throughout the trial.
  • We need an impartial mediator to resolve this dispute.
• Describing a judgment or assessment:
  • The committee conducted an impartial review of all applications.
  • Her analysis of the data was thorough and impartial.
• Describing a system or process:
  • The new software ensures an impartial selection process.

Advanced Usage

• "To be impartial toward/in": To show no bias regarding a specific subject or party.
  • The investigator was scrupulously impartial in her questioning of all witnesses.
• "Impartial observer": A neutral person who watches or comments on an event without taking sides.
  • From the perspective of an impartial observer, both sides made valid points.

Variants and Related Words

• Impartiality (noun): The quality of being impartial.
  • The impartiality of the jury was crucial for a fair trial.
• Impartially (adverb): In an impartial manner.
  • The resources were distributed impartially among the teams.

Synonyms

• Unbiased: Showing no prejudice for or against something.
• Neutral: Not supporting or helping either side in a conflict or disagreement.
• Fair: Treating people equally without favoritism or discrimination.
• Objective: Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; considering only facts.
• Dispassionate: Not influenced by strong emotion; calm and impartial.

Antonyms

• Biased: Unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something.
• Partial: Favoring one side in a way that is unfair.
• Prejudiced: Having a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

Idioms and Phrases

• "To give someone an impartial hearing": To listen to someone's case or argument fairly and without prejudice.
  • The manager promised to give the employee an impartial hearing before making a decision.
• "With an impartial hand": Acting or distributing in a fair and unbiased way. (A somewhat literary phrase)
  • Justice must be administered with an impartial hand.

Adjective

1. free from undue bias or preconceived opinions
   • an unprejudiced appraisal of the pros and cons
   • the impartial eye of a scientist
2. showing lack of favoritism
   • the cold neutrality of an impartial judge