taking sides
Picking a team
Taking sides means choosing to support one party in a dispute or conflict over another.
The phrase often carries a note of reluctance or accusation: I'm not taking sides here, but... suggests attempted neutrality, while You always take her side implies bias.
Parents are told not to take sides between children; judges must not take sides between litigants.
Loyalty owed to authority
- solidarityUnity among allies
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
devotion · fidelity · steadfastness · dedication · fealty · faithfulness · backing · alliance
Verbal clash over differences
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- discordLack of agreement
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
rivalry · feud · antagonism · hostility · contention · friction · schism · rift
Preferential treatment of some
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- one-sidednessImbalanced viewpoint or treatment
- slantOblique angle or bias
partisanship · unfairness · discrimination · subjectivity · inequity · leaning · tilt · predisposition
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- solidarityUnity among allies
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
commitment · devotion · fidelity · steadfastness · dedication · fealty · faithfulness · backing · alliance · adherence
dispute
Verbal clash over differences
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- discordLack of agreement
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
opposition · rivalry · feud · antagonism · hostility · contention · friction · schism · rift · quarrel
favoritism
Preferential treatment of some
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- one-sidednessImbalanced viewpoint or treatment
slant · partisanship · unfairness · discrimination · subjectivity · inequity · leaning · tilt · predisposition · tendency
choosing
Selecting from alternatives
endorsing · supporting · favoring · deciding · declaring · committing · stance · position · stand · alignment
- office politicsoffice politics, backstabbing, power plays, favoritism, nepotism
- sibling rivalrybickering, fighting, arguing, teasing, tattling
- loyalty actskeeping secrets, keeping faith
taking sidesstaying neutral
neutrality · impartiality · objectivity · fairness · even-handedness
taking sideskeeping out
Blocking from entering
abstaining · non-involvement · disengagement · standing aside · stepping back
taking, sides, take, side, taken, taker, takes, retake, undertake