tendentious

Tendentious is an adjective used to describe writing, speech, or other communication that is biased or aimed at promoting a particular viewpoint or cause. A tendentious work tends to persuade by presenting a selective or distorted view of the facts, rather than offering balanced or neutral analysis. The term often carries a critical or negative connotation, though it can be used descriptively without judgment in some cases.

Etymology: The word comes from Latin tendent-, tendere “to stretch, to tend” with the suffix -ous, and entered English in the early modern period. Through French and other routes it developed an English sense of “having a tendency toward a particular point of view.”

Usage: Tendentious is commonly applied to journalism, political writing, or scholarly work that advocates for a cause or party. Examples include “tendentious reporting” or “tendentious claims.” It is distinct from mere opinion; a tendentious argument may be well supported but still one-sided, or it may rely on selective evidence or rhetorical techniques.

In contrast, terms like objective, impartial, or nonpartisan describe content intended to avoid bias. Related adjectives include polemical and propagandistic, while opposites include unbiased and fair-minded.