benefit of the doubt
Presumed innocent trust
Benefit of the doubt is the favorable assumption you give someone when evidence is uncertain or ambiguous.
If you can't tell whether a person acted in good faith or bad, giving them the benefit of the doubt means choosing to believe the better interpretation: I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she forgot rather than ignored me.
The phrase comes from legal contexts where doubt should favor the accused.
Trust without proof
- credenceAcceptance as true
- beliefTrust held as true
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
- relianceState of needing support
goodwill · good faith · presumption of innocence · trustworthiness · sincerity · honesty · integrity · credibility
Desire for good outcomes
- positivityHopeful mental orientation
- positive spinFavorable framing of events
- encouragementSupport spurring continued effort
- reassuranceWords meant to calm
confidence · sanguinity · buoyancy · goodwill · prospect · cheerfulness · idealism
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
forbearance · indulgence · patience · compassion · tolerance · charity · reprieve · absolution
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- neutralityState of taking sides
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- even-handednessUnbiased treatment of all
open-mindedness · reasonableness · judiciousness · consideration · deliberation · prudence · discretion · balance
faith
Trust without proof
- credenceAcceptance as true
- beliefTrust held as true
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
reliance · goodwill · good faith · presumption of innocence · trustworthiness · sincerity · honesty · integrity · credibility · dependability
hope
Desire for good outcomes
- positivityHopeful mental orientation
- positive spinFavorable framing of events
- encouragementSupport spurring continued effort
reassurance · confidence · sanguinity · buoyancy · goodwill · prospect · cheerfulness · idealism
forgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
pardon · forbearance · indulgence · patience · compassion · tolerance · charity · reprieve · absolution · gentleness
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- neutralityState of taking sides
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
even-handedness · open-mindedness · reasonableness · judiciousness · consideration · deliberation · prudence · discretion · balance · justice
- forgivenessforgiveness of sins, redemption, absolve, mercy, grace
- phrases about trustleap of faith, blind faith, trust fall, in good faith, breach of trust
- kind gestureshandshake, apology, hug, helping hand, gift
benefit of the doubtcondemnation
Severe disapproval expressed formally
rush to judgment · prejudgment · suspicion · distrust · mistrust
benefit of the doubtsuspicion
Sense of unease about motives
distrust · mistrust · skepticism · cynicism · wariness
benefit of the doubtstrict scrutiny
Most rigorous constitutional test
throwing the book at · condemnation · censure · denunciation · pillorying
benefit, benefits, benefited, benefiting, beneficial, beneficiary, beneficence, beneficent, doubt