What does objectiveness mean?
Objectiveness is the quality of approaching a subject without personal prejudice, emotional preference, or vested interest. It describes judgments and processes that are intended to rest on relevant facts, fair criteria, and equal treatment rather than on what an observer happens to prefer. The term is commonly associated with journalism, research, law, evaluation, and institutional decision-making, where impartiality is important for credibility. Objectiveness is closely related to objectivity and is frequently used interchangeably with it, though it can place slightly more emphasis on the character of a person, judgment, or method. Being objective does not mean being uninformed or detached from human concerns; it means recognizing and limiting personal bias while assessing evidence consistently. The word is especially useful when describing standards intended to keep interpretation, reporting, and evaluation from being unduly shaped by individual interests.
nounThe quality of being objective: impartial, unbiased, and based on evidence or facts rather than personal feelings or preferences.
- The quality of being objective, especially through impartiality, neutrality, and an absence of personal bias.
"The panel questioned the objectiveness of the journalist's account."
"Maintaining objectiveness can be difficult when a case is closely connected to a community."
"The report was praised for the rigor and objectiveness of its analysis."
Objectiveness is normally used as an uncountable noun for the quality of being objective.
"Her insistence on objectiveness shaped every stage of the investigation."
Objectiveness is what remains when the observer steps back from personal preference and lets the evidence have the final say.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does objectiveness come from?
Objectiveness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to objective. Objective entered English from medieval or Late Latin usage based on Latin obicere, meaning to throw before or place opposite to, and ultimately on the Latin roots ob-, meaning before or against, and jacere, meaning to throw. The modern sense developed from the philosophical notion of a judgment or quality regarded as independent of subjective preferences. Related English words include objectivity, objectify, and objectification.
Related word forms
How objectiveness is actually used
Objectiveness is somewhat more formal and less common than objectivity. It is especially appropriate for discussing judgments, assessments, reporting, research, and decision-making, where factual impartiality is being emphasized.
Easily confused with objectiveness
Objectivity is the quality or state of being objective, while objectiveness more explicitly refers to that quality as a characteristic of a person, judgment, process, or treatment.