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 court had heard that some residents were made to call the director "Dad", which prosecutors said illustrated the unequal relationship between Kim and those in his care.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The disparity reflects unequal access to diagnosis and treatment.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026
Clytemnestra’s revenge, an afterthought in this hero’s journey, is central to Greek drama and classical art as an example of unequal justice.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
The other reason, he said, is that the AI labs haven’t given enough attention to the issue of unequal responses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
After the Supreme Court declared separate schools inherently unequal in 1954, segregation persisted unabated.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
