subjectivity

noun

sub·​jec·​tiv·​i·​ty (ˌ)səb-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce subjectivity (audio)
Synonyms of subjectivitynext
: the quality, state, or nature of being subjective
Any attempt to link landscapes and music together can suffer from some measure of subjectivity.—David J. Keeling
He thinks that scientists and philosophers have unjustly neglected the subjectivity of conscious experience and that this has made it harder for them to explain some of the workings of the mind.—Anthony Gottlieb

Examples of subjectivity in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The movie is of no aesthetic originality or distinction; it’s filmed, transparently, in scenes of straightforward dramatic realism, neither maintaining an individual character’s point of view nor evoking subjectivity. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026 Love Days gets inside the head of the disembodied, Medusa-like woman who uses her work to escape the perils of her own subjectivity. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 At least then subjectivity would be diminished, there would be more rewards for playing tough schedules, and Sark would have less to complain about after his undeserving team isn't selected. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2026 There is some level of subjectivity attached to each situation, including a player’s history of concussions as well as the severity of the active concussion. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subjectivity

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subjectivity was in 1803

Rhymes for subjectivity

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Browse Nearby Words

subjectivistic
subjectivity
subjectivization
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subjectivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjectivity. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

subjectivity

noun
sub·​jec·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌsəb-jek-ˈtiv-ət-ē How to pronounce subjectivity (audio)
plural subjectivities
1
: subjective character, quality, state, or nature
2
: the personal qualities of an investigator that affect the outcome of scientific or medical research (as by unconsciously communicating a bias to the subject of the experiment)

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