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.
Unequal influence is not a pathology of democracy.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026
The measure has been strongly opposed by the No on the Long Beach Unequal Pay Measure coalition, a group of healthcare providers.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2022
Unequal access might look like a student missing class or school activities to avoid the person they reported, a decline in their grades and having difficulty focusing.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 6, 2022
Unequal access to the shots worldwide has meant more variants.
From Washington Post • Jan. 28, 2022
“Mrs. H. H. Penrose, who is one of the women novelists to be taken into serious account, has not written anything better worth reading than ‘The Unequal Yoke.’
From Psyche by Couperus, Louis
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.
