Every contest, court case and news story raises the same question: is the judgment fair? This topic gives you the words for a fair judge and for the things that spoil fairness, from a small leaning to a sour, suspicious eye.
Key idea
Fair: impartial (takes no side), disinterested (has nothing to gain), objective (sticks to facts), equitable (fair to all), dispassionate (calm, not swayed by feelings). Unfair or shaky: subjective (based on personal taste), bias (a leaning), prejudice (judging before knowing), arbitrary (based on whim), jaundiced (soured by bitterness).
Watch for one famous trap: disinterested does not mean bored. It means having no personal stake, which is exactly what you want in a referee.
The ten words
Common mistake
disinterested means impartial (having nothing to gain), not uninterested (bored). A disinterested judge is a good thing.
| fair | unfair or shaky |
|---|---|
| impartial: takes no side | bias: a leaning toward one side |
| disinterested: nothing to gain | prejudice: judged before knowing |
| objective: based on facts | subjective: based on personal taste |
| equitable: fair to all | arbitrary: based on whim |
| dispassionate: not swayed by feelings | jaundiced: soured by bitterness |
Common mistake
disinterested = having no personal stake, so fair. uninterested = not interested, bored. “The disinterested judge listened closely” is high praise; “the uninterested judge yawned” is not.
Subjective is not always bad. Taste in music is subjective, and that is fine. It becomes a problem only when a judgment that should rest on facts rests on feelings instead.