What does nonpartisan mean?
Nonpartisan means not favoring one political party, faction, or ideology over another. It is used to describe people, committees, debates, proposals, and other activities that are intended to be impartial rather than partisan. A nonpartisan candidate may run without an official party affiliation, while a nonpartisan committee may be designed to represent different political perspectives. The term can carry a positive connotation of fairness, independence, and compromise, especially in institutional and civic settings. However, describing something as nonpartisan does not automatically prove that it is unbiased or uncontroversial; politicians and interested parties may make competing claims about neutrality. The word is especially common in American public discourse, though it is also understood and used in British English.
adjectiveNot supporting or favoring any political party or faction; impartial or politically neutral. It can also describe activity, debate, or decisions conducted without partisan allegiance.
- Not aligned with or favoring any political party or faction; politically neutral.
- Conducted without partisan allegiance, bias, or favor.
"The committee sought a nonpartisan agreement among all members."
"The mayor appointed a nonpartisan panel to investigate the issue."
"The discussion focused on practical solutions rather than partisan campaigning."
Nonpartisan is one of those political words whose meaning is political in a very literal way: it describes what refuses to take sides.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonpartisan come from?
The word is formed from the prefix non-, meaning “not,” and partisan, a term derived through French and Italian from a word associated with dividing or taking sides in a political conflict. The underlying family is connected with Latin roots meaning “part” or “division,” reflected in English words such as party and partial. In modern usage, nonpartisan has developed into a general adjective for political neutrality and impartiality.
Related word forms
How nonpartisan is actually used
Common in political and institutional contexts. It can suggest genuine neutrality, but it may also be used as a claim or description that should be assessed in context. In American English it is particularly frequent in references to committees, reforms, and public offices.
Easily confused with nonpartisan
A partisan person or position supports a particular political party or faction, whereas a nonpartisan one does not favor any such group.