Tendentious

Characterized by, or expressing, a strong, often controversial, point of view; biased; aiming to promote a particular cause or point of view, often to the detriment of other perspectives. It suggests a deliberate intention to influence or persuade, sometimes in a manipulative way. The implication is that the speaker or writer is not simply stating facts, but is subtly or overtly pushing an agenda, often concealing or distorting information to support it.

Tendentious meaning with examples

• The documentary was criticized for being tendentious, selectively presenting evidence to support a predetermined conclusion about the origins of the conflict. The filmmakers clearly had an agenda and were less interested in a balanced portrayal of the situation, favouring a narrative.
• The politician's speech was filled with tendentious remarks, carefully crafted to elicit an emotional response from the audience and sway them towards their side. They ignored any facts that did not confirm their biased view on the matter.
• A tendentious book review can unfairly dismiss or overpraise a work based on the reviewer's personal biases, rather than on its actual merits. This lack of objective analysis doesn't serve the public well, and misleads on important themes.
• The professor's lectures were known to be tendentious, consistently favouring one particular school of thought and actively discouraging dissenting opinions, regardless of fact. This had an overwhelmingly detrimental effect on student development.