uneven
Americanadjective
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not level or flat; rough; rugged.
The wheels bumped and jolted over the uneven surface.
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irregular; varying; not uniform.
The book is uneven in quality.
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not equitable or fair; one-sided.
an uneven contest.
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not equally balanced; not symmetrical or parallel.
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(of a number) odd; not divisible into two equal integers.
The numerals 3, 5, and 7 are uneven.
adjective
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(of a surface, etc) not level or flat
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spasmodic or variable
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not parallel, straight, or horizontal
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not fairly matched
an uneven race
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archaic not equal
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obsolete unjust
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of uneven
before 900; Middle English; Old English unefen; cognate with German uneben. See un- 1, even 1
Explanation
Uneven is the opposite of uniform and predictable. If the road is uneven, it's bumpy and rough, and you’ll have to dodge the potholes. If your performance as Hamlet is uneven, your "To be or not to be" might be brilliant, but you mumble through "Get thee to a nunnery!" If the economic recovery is uneven, it's not the same in every sector — maybe manufacturing and exports are picking up steam but the housing market is still lagging. If your soccer team of skinny 12-year-olds is up against a team of beefy 16-year-old giants, it's an uneven match and likely to be ugly.
Vocabulary lists containing uneven
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 4
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"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 5
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Spelling Practice, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Appeared in the March 19, 2026, print edition as 'A Troupe’s Uneven Season'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
Uneven, bumpy, full-of-heart fabric, but still: something that could keep you warm.
From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025
Uneven attendance patterns create peaks and valleys throughout the week, something managers say makes it difficult for them to provide a consistent experience for employees.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025
Uneven grazing can degrade water quality, soil health and habitats.
From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024
“But this isn’t even limping. A limp has rhythm. This is more like someone falling down a set of stairs. Uneven stairs. With a midden at the bottom.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
