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.
Many words are now taboo, and there’s an entire new anxiety-inducing vocabulary: unhoused, undocumented, unequal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
It also creates an unequal treatment between Swiss users and those in the surrounding European Economic Area, "even though the competitive issues are comparable", it added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
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
If I leave unequal inheritances, do I risk creating resentment among my nieces and nephews — and, perhaps more importantly, among my siblings?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Out of the shaft, the horse drinks greedily and the carriage tips dangerously with the unequal distribution of his trunk and the woman.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
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.
