Judging from evidence without letting personal loyalties decide the result.
Reach for it when describing a reviewer, assessment, or decision that must be trusted as impartial
Nadia gave an objective comparison even though her own proposal was one of the finalists.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional |
|
| formal | |
| literary |
everyday
neutral
Fits when someone takes no side in a dispute
Careful Neutral does not fit a person who reaches a firm evidence-based verdict.
warm
Fits when praising a person's willingness to hear every side
Careful Skip this for measurements or methods, which cannot literally be minded.
professional
Fits when the conclusion rests on verifiable information
Careful Evidence can be factual yet selected or weighed with bias.
professional
Fits when freedom from prejudice is the main claim
Careful It overstates matters if relevant preferences were merely disclosed and managed.
formal
Fits when strong feelings have been set aside for analysis
Careful The word can sound cold in a card praising humane judgment.
formal
Fits when neither side receives favored treatment
Careful Avoid it when you mean emotionally detached rather than even-handed.
literary
detached
Fits when distance from the issue enables clear judgment
Careful Detached may imply lack of care, so it is risky as uncomplicated praise.
literary
Fits when treatment is balanced across people or groups
Careful Do not choose it for factual accuracy that involves no competing parties.
objective assessment
The board requested an objective assessment from an engineer with no stake in the sale.
objective criteria
Objective criteria kept the scholarship review consistent across schools.
remain objective
Luis asked a colleague to help him remain objective during the complaint review.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Steve Shives, Maryland accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated
Your browser isn't saving lists, so this one will be cleared when you leave the page.