Partial — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈpär-shəl/ par·tial

Meaning & Definition of Partial

Partial (adjective)

  1. of or relating to a part rather than the whole, not general or total
  2. inclined to favor one party more than the other, biased
  3. markedly fond of someone or something —used with to

Partial (noun)

  1. overtone

Partial (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. inclined to favor one side over another

    "that judge is always partial to the defense, so be careful"

    similar: biased, one-sided, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced
    related: hostile, inimical, jaundiced, unfriendly, unsympathetic, colored, distorted, misrepresented, shaded, warped, convinced, influenced, persuaded, predisposed, prepossessed, swayed, affected, concerned, interested
    opposite: disinterested, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, neutral, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced
    near: open, open-minded, persuasible, receptive, honest, just, reasonable, bipartisan, autonomous, independent, aloof, detached, dispassionate, hardheaded, impersonal, unemotional, cold, distant, remote, apathetic, incurious, indifferent, unconcerned, uncurious, unenthusiastic, uninterested

  2. having a liking or affection

    "partial to chocolate cake"

    similar: affected, attached, fond, inclined, big on
    related: crazy (about or over), enamored, enraptured, gone (on), infatuated, mad (about), nuts (about), desirous, eager, enthusiastic, excited, gung ho, keen
    opposite: allergic, averse, disinclined
    near: apathetic, cool, indifferent, uninterested, contemptuous, disdainful, scornful, antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, alienated, disaffected, disenchanted, estranged

  3. lacking some necessary part

    "a partial answer to the problem"

    similar: deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, half, halfway, incomplete
    related: broken, damaged, flawed, impaired, imperfect, injured, marred, spoiled, sketchy, unassembled, uncompleted, unfinished
    opposite: complete, entire, full, intact, integral, perfect, whole
    near: flawless, unbroken, undamaged, unimpaired, uninjured, unmarred, completed, finished

Related Entry: Be partial to (phrase)

Be partial to is a different word from Partial. The synonyms below are for be partial to, not for partial.

  1. to show partiality toward

    "My girlfriend likes thrillers, but I myself am partial to comedies."

    similar: care (for), favor, lean (toward or towards), like, prefer, go in for
    related: adore, cotton (to), delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), relish, revel (in), choose, cull, handpick, name, pick, select, single (out), take, covet, crave, desire, hanker (for or after), want, wish (for), bias, prejudice, incline (toward), tend (to), admire, appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value
    near: disfavor, dislike, mislike, abhor, abominate, detest, hate, loathe, decline, refuse, reject, turn down, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

  2. to take pleasure in

    "They are both partial to weekend camping trips."

    similar: adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, love, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor, get a kick out of, go for, have a soft spot for, take to
    related: admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship, prize, treasure, value, devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on), dote (on), idolize, cotton (to), favor, prefer, indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in)
    near: abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe, condemn, despise, scorn

Related Entry: Been partial to (phrase)

Been partial to is a different word from Partial. The synonyms below are for been partial to, not for partial.

  1. to show partiality toward

    "My girlfriend likes thrillers, but I myself am partial to comedies."

    similar: cared (for), favored, leaned (toward or towards), liked, preferred, gone in for
    related: adored, cottoned (to), delighted (in), dug, enjoyed, fancied, grooved (on), relished, reveled (in), chosen, culled, handpicked, named, picked, selected, singled (out), taken, coveted, craved, desired, hankered (for or after), wanted, wished (for), biased, prejudiced, inclined (toward), tended (to), admired, appreciated, cherished, prized, treasured, valued
    near: disfavored, disliked, misliked, abhorred, abominated, detested, hated, loathed, declined, refused, rejected, turned down, discarded, jettisoned, thrown away, thrown out

  2. to take pleasure in

    "They are both partial to weekend camping trips."

    similar: adored, delighted (in), dug, enjoyed, fancied, got off (on), grooved (on), liked, loved, rejoiced (in), relished, reveled (in), savored, gone for, got a kick out of, had a soft spot for, taken to
    related: admired, appreciated, cherished, revered, venerated, worshipped, prized, treasured, valued, devoured, drunk (in), eaten (up), feasted (on), doted (on), idolized, cottoned (to), favored, preferred, indulged (in), luxuriated (in), wallowed (in)
    near: abhorred, abominated, detested, disliked, hated, loathed, condemned, despised, scorned

Related Entry: Was partial to (phrase)

Was partial to is a different word from Partial. The synonyms below are for was partial to, not for partial.

  1. to show partiality toward

    "My girlfriend likes thrillers, but I myself am partial to comedies."

    similar: cared (for), favored, leaned (toward or towards), liked, preferred, went in for
    related: adored, cottoned (to), delighted (in), dug, enjoyed, fancied, grooved (on), relished, reveled (in), chose, culled, handpicked, named, picked, selected, singled (out), took, coveted, craved, desired, hankered (for or after), wanted, wished (for), biased, prejudiced, inclined (toward), tended (to), admired, appreciated, cherished, prized, treasured, valued
    near: disfavored, disliked, misliked, abhorred, abominated, detested, hated, loathed, declined, refused, rejected, turned down, discarded, jettisoned, threw away, threw out

  2. to take pleasure in

    "They are both partial to weekend camping trips."

    similar: adored, delighted (in), dug, enjoyed, fancied, got off (on), grooved (on), liked, loved, rejoiced (in), relished, reveled (in), savored, got a kick out of, had a soft spot for, took to, went for
    related: admired, appreciated, cherished, revered, venerated, worshipped, prized, treasured, valued, ate (up), devoured, drank (in), feasted (on), doted (on), idolized, cottoned (to), favored, preferred, indulged (in), luxuriated (in), wallowed (in)
    near: abhorred, abominated, detested, disliked, hated, loathed, condemned, despised, scorned

Related Entry: Is partial to (phrase)

Is partial to is a different word from Partial. The synonyms below are for is partial to, not for partial.

  1. to show partiality toward

    "My girlfriend likes thrillers, but I myself am partial to comedies."

    similar: cares (for), favors, leans (toward or towards), likes, prefers, goes in for
    related: adores, cottons (to), delights (in), digs, enjoys, fancies, grooves (on), relishes, revels (in), chooses, culls, handpicks, names, picks, selects, singles (out), takes, covets, craves, desires, hankers (for or after), wants, wishes (for), biases, prejudices, inclines (toward), tends (to), admires, appreciates, cherishes, prizes, treasures, values
    near: disfavors, dislikes, mislikes, abhors, abominates, detests, hates, loathes, declines, refuses, rejects, turns down, discards, jettisons, throws away, throws out

  2. to take pleasure in

    "They are both partial to weekend camping trips."

    similar: adores, delights (in), digs, enjoys, fancies, gets off (on), grooves (on), likes, loves, rejoices (in), relishes, revels (in), savors, gets a kick out of, goes for, has a soft spot for, takes to
    related: admires, appreciates, cherishes, reveres, venerates, worships, prizes, treasures, values, devours, drinks (in), eats (up), feasts (on), dotes (on), idolizes, cottons (to), favors, prefers, indulges (in), luxuriates (in), wallows (in)
    near: abhors, abominates, detests, dislikes, hates, loathes, condemns, despises, scorns

Related Entry: Being partial to (phrase)

Being partial to is a different word from Partial. The synonyms below are for being partial to, not for partial.

  1. to show partiality toward

    "My girlfriend likes thrillers, but I myself am partial to comedies."

    similar: caring (for), favoring, leaning (toward or towards), liking, preferring, going in for
    related: adoring, cottoning (to), delighting (in), digging, enjoying, fancying, grooving (on), relishing, reveling (in), choosing, culling, handpicking, naming, picking, selecting, singling (out), taking, coveting, craving, desiring, hankering (for or after), wanting, wishing (for), biasing, prejudicing, inclining (toward), tending (to), admiring, appreciating, cherishing, prizing, treasuring, valuing
    near: disfavoring, disliking, misliking, abhorring, abominating, detesting, hating, loathing, declining, refusing, rejecting, turning down, discarding, jettisoning, throwing away, throwing out

  2. to take pleasure in

    "They are both partial to weekend camping trips."

    similar: adoring, delighting (in), digging, enjoying, fancying, getting off (on), grooving (on), liking, loving, rejoicing (in), relishing, reveling (in), savoring, getting a kick out of, going for, having a soft spot for, taking to
    related: admiring, appreciating, cherishing, revering, venerating, worshipping, prizing, treasuring, valuing, devouring, drinking (in), eating (up), feasting (on), doting (on), idolizing, cottoning (to), favoring, preferring, indulging (in), luxuriating (in), wallowing (in)
    near: abhorring, abominating, detesting, disliking, hating, loathing, condemning, despising, scorning

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Partial

The most common words with a similar meaning to Partial:

biased, one-sided, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced, affected, attached, fond, inclined, deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, half, halfway, incomplete, big on

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Partial

Words with the opposite meaning of Partial:

disinterested, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, neutral, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, allergic, averse, disinclined, complete, entire, full, intact, integral, perfect, whole

Related Words for Partial

hostile, inimical, jaundiced, unfriendly, unsympathetic, colored, distorted, misrepresented, shaded, warped, convinced, influenced, persuaded, predisposed, prepossessed, swayed, concerned, interested, crazy (about or over), enamored, enraptured, gone (on), infatuated, mad (about), nuts (about), desirous, eager, enthusiastic, excited, gung ho

Near Antonyms of Partial

open, open-minded, persuasible, receptive, honest, just, reasonable, bipartisan, autonomous, independent, aloof, detached, dispassionate, hardheaded, impersonal, unemotional, cold, distant, remote, apathetic, incurious, indifferent, unconcerned, uncurious, unenthusiastic, uninterested, cool, contemptuous, disdainful, scornful

Origin & Etymology of Partial

Middle English parcial, from Late Latin partialis, from Latin part-, pars part

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Partial

Words & Phrases Containing Partial

partial-birth abortion, partial denture, partial derivative, partial differential equation, partial differentiation, partial fraction, partial pressure, partial product

Frequently Asked Questions about Partial

What does "Partial" mean?

"Partial" means of or relating to a part rather than the whole, not general or total. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of or relating to a part rather than the whole, not general or total. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Partial"?

Other words for "Partial" include biased, one-sided, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced, affected, attached and fond. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Partial" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Partial"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Partial". Common alternatives include biased, one-sided, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced, affected, attached, fond, inclined and deficient.

What is the opposite of "Partial"?

Antonyms of "Partial" include disinterested, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, neutral and nonpartisan. Near antonyms include open, open-minded, persuasible and receptive.

How do you use "Partial" in a sentence?

Examples of "Partial" in a sentence: "that judge is always partial to the defense, so be careful"; "partial to chocolate cake"; "a partial answer to the problem".

Is "Partial" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Partial" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Partial" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Partial" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Partial"?

"Partial" is pronounced /ˈpär-shəl/ and divided into syllables as par·tial.