be biased against

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be biased against" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone has a prejudice or unfair preference against a particular group or individual. Example: "The study revealed that the hiring committee seemed to be biased against candidates from certain backgrounds."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I will not be biased against any son of Egypt".

The New York Times

Some infer from this that Judge Sotomayor must be biased against whites.

The New York Times

He seemed to be biased against buying content from ITV Productions.

The Guardian

Schools may be biased against identifying minority children as having disabilities.

The Washington Post

Studies have also shown that students can be biased against female professors.

The New York Times

This was consistent with past work showing that racist people tend to be biased against Black people.

Yale University

We argue that differences in timing of drug and vaccine consumption will lead firms to be biased against developing vaccines.

Harvard University

The assumptions built into a test can themselves be biased against certain traits and so discriminate unfairly.

Harvard Business Review

But critics have said they can be biased against racial minorities or poor people, depending on what test is administered.

The Washington Post

Now, it may be the case that the national polls would have to be biased against him as well.

The New York Times

"To simply have people be biased against the plaintiff for having an elective surgery was very close to being biased against our client's product," Mr. Bernick said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be biased against", specify the object of bias to ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of saying "the system is biased", specify "the system is biased against minority applicants".

Common error

Avoid using "be biased against" without providing specific context or evidence. Claims of bias require substantiation to maintain credibility. For instance, vague statements like "the media is biased" are less impactful than "the media is biased against small business owners due to limited coverage".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be biased against" functions as a verbal phrase expressing prejudice or unfairness. It describes a state of having a preconceived judgment or preference against someone or something. Ludwig AI examples illustrate its usage in various contexts, from social issues to scientific research.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

29%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be biased against" is a common expression used to describe prejudice or unfairness towards a particular person, group, or idea. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used across diverse fields like news, science, and academia. While synonyms such as "be predisposed against" or "discriminate against" offer alternative ways to express similar sentiments, "be biased against" specifically emphasizes a preconceived judgment or leaning. To ensure clarity, it's important to clearly state the object of bias and provide context to support claims of bias. This phrase serves to highlight a lack of impartiality, prompting awareness and encouraging fairer evaluations and actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be predisposed against

Indicates a pre-existing inclination or tendency to hold a negative view, emphasizing a natural or inherent bias.

be prejudiced against

Highlights the holding of preconceived judgments or biases, often without reasonable grounds, implying a more active or deliberate bias.

have a prejudice against

Emphasizes preconceived, often negative, judgments or biases.

discriminate against

Focuses on the action of treating someone unfairly based on group membership, shifting the emphasis to behavior rather than internal bias.

have a bias toward

Suggests an inclination in favor of something, subtly differing from "against" by being positive.

show favoritism toward

Highlights the act of unfairly preferring one person or group over others.

be unfair to

A broader term indicating a lack of justice or equity toward something or someone.

be inequitable to

Similar to "be unfair to" but emphasizing a lack of equal treatment.

be partial to

Indicates a preference for something, contrasting with the negative connotation of "against".

lean against

Suggests a tendency or inclination to oppose or act in resistance to something.

FAQs

How can I use "be biased against" in a sentence?

You can use "be biased against" to indicate prejudice or unfair preference. For example: "The study revealed that the hiring committee seemed to "be biased against" candidates from certain backgrounds".

What are some alternatives to "be biased against"?

Alternatives include "have a prejudice against", "discriminate against", or "show favoritism against", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "be biased towards" instead of "be biased against"?

While "be biased towards" is grammatically correct, it indicates a preference for something, whereas ""be biased against"" indicates a prejudice or unfairness against something. The choice depends on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between "be biased against" and "be unfairly critical of"?

"Be biased against" suggests a preconceived judgment or prejudice, while "be unfairly critical of" implies a negative evaluation based on flawed or unjust standards. The former is about inherent leaning; the latter is about unjust judgment.