unequal
Americanadjective
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not equal; not of the same quantity, quality, value, rank, ability, etc..
People are unequal in their capacities.
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not adequate, as in amount, power, ability, etc. (usually followed byto ).
strength unequal to the task.
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not evenly proportioned or balanced; not having the parts alike or symmetrical.
an unequal leaf.
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uneven or variable in character, quality, etc.
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Obsolete. inequitable; unfair; unjust.
noun
adjective
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not equal in quantity, size, rank, value, etc
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(foll by to) inadequate; insufficient
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not evenly balanced
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(of character, quality, etc) irregular; varying; inconsistent
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(of a contest, etc) having competitors of different ability
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obsolete unjust
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unequal
Vocabulary lists containing unequal
"Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
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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.
The asymmetry no longer reads as a “fossil trace” indicating a preference, but as one possible effect of a structurally unequal relationship between human populations.
From Science Daily • Jul. 7, 2026
There is no social contract requiring aunts and uncles to divide their estates equally among their nieces and nephews, but unequal inheritances can still pack an unintentional emotional punch.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
They make a passionate argument about how unequal the country has become.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
Still, the ways in which we are manifestly unequal continue to tug against the Declaration’s commitment to equality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
They were working for the Man in an unequal, sometimes unjust society—I doubt that many would quibble with that description.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
