uneven

[uhn-ee-vuhn]

See more synonyms for uneven on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not level or flat; rough; rugged: The wheels bumped and jolted over the uneven surface.
irregular; varying; not uniform: The book is uneven in quality.
not equitable or fair; one-sided: an uneven contest.

not equally balanced; not symmetrical or parallel.
(of a number) odd; not divisible into two equal integers: The numerals 3, 5, and 7 are uneven.

Origin of uneven

before 900; Middle English; Old English unefen; cognate with German uneben. See un-¹, even¹

Related formsun·e·ven·ly, adverbun·e·ven·ness, noun

Synonyms

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3. unfair, unequal, lopsided.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for uneven

Contemporary Examples

Their uneven threads showed potential for backing out or breaking, he said.
Patients Screwed in Spine Surgery ‘Scam’
The Center for Investigative Reporting
November 3, 2014
The power delivered by the rocket motor was uneven and tricky to control.
Virgin Galactic’s Flight Path to Disaster: A Clash of High Risk and Hyperbole
Clive Irving
November 1, 2014
So the dependency story is strange and uneven, and especially nasty when it comes to women.
Here’s Why You Helpless Tramps Don’t Vote Republican
Elizabeth Stoker Bruenig
August 31, 2014
He uses a spatula to flatten the onions and the meat together, creating a broad circular patty with an uneven edge.
The Most American Pit Stop in the U.S.A.
Jane & Michael Stern
July 21, 2014
Dad was 45, almost six years removed from a heart attack, and his deep, uneven breathing worried me.
Almost Famous: A Father's Day Story
Alex Belth
June 15, 2014

Historical Examples

They held the most uneven part of the center, where thickets and ravines were many.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler
He could not charge at any great speed, for the ground was steep and uneven.
Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood
George MacDonald
This clipping is what causes the uneven quality of fur which appears in his picture.
Concerning Cats
Helen M. Winslow
It was a long, uneven, low building, evidently of ancient architecture.
Vivian Grey
Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
She cut an uneven circle of half moons in it and put it in the oven.
One Martian Afternoon
Tom Leahy

British Dictionary definitions for uneven

uneven

adjective

(of a surface, etc) not level or flat
spasmodic or variable
not parallel, straight, or horizontal
not fairly matchedan uneven race
archaic not equal
obsolete unjust

Derived Formsunevenly, adverbunevenness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for uneven

adj.

Old English unefen "unequal," from un- (1) "not" + even (adj.). Cf. Old Frisian oniovn, Middle Dutch oneven, Old High German uneban, German uneben, Old Norse ujafn. Meaning "irregular, broken, rugged" (in reference to terrain, etc.) is recorded from late 13c.

uneven

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}uneven

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for uneven

Contemporary Examples

Their uneven threads showed potential for backing out or breaking, he said.

The power delivered by the rocket motor was uneven and tricky to control.

So the dependency story is strange and uneven, and especially nasty when it comes to women.

He uses a spatula to flatten the onions and the meat together, creating a broad circular patty with an uneven edge.

Dad was 45, almost six years removed from a heart attack, and his deep, uneven breathing worried me.

Historical Examples

They held the most uneven part of the center, where thickets and ravines were many.

He could not charge at any great speed, for the ground was steep and uneven.

This clipping is what causes the uneven quality of fur which appears in his picture.

It was a long, uneven, low building, evidently of ancient architecture.

She cut an uneven circle of half moons in it and put it in the oven.

uneven

Word Origin and History for uneven

adj.

Origin of uneven