inequality

noun

in·​equal·​i·​ty ˌi-ni-ˈkwä-lə-tē 

1

: the quality of being unequal or uneven: such as

a

: social disparity

economic/racial/gender inequality

b

: disparity of distribution or opportunity

inequality of income/employment/education

c

: lack of evenness

hampered by the inequality of the ground

d

: the condition of being variable : changeableness

2

: an instance of being unequal

3

: a formal statement of inequality between two quantities usually separated by a sign of inequality (such as <, >, or ≠ signifying respectively is less than, is greater than, or is not equal to)

Examples of inequality in a Sentence

They discussed the problem of inequality between students.

He accused the company of inequality in its hiring practices.

He has proposed a new system designed to remove inequalities in health care.

Recent Examples on the Web

The city’s income inequality has also widened, and for Jean-François Lejeune, a professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture, the new crop of luxury buildings has become a potent symbol of that growing disparity. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Unlike the Labour mainstream, which sought to alleviate inequality through democratic reform, Militant believed in the overthrow of British capitalism, by force if necessary. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

But the popularity of ideas like this demonstrates how strongly Americans are focused on ensuring that AI creates shared prosperity rather than increasing economic inequality. — Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Katerina Spyropoulou follows current affairs and cares deeply about issues such as youth unemployment, social inequality, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inequalite, from Latin inaequalitat-, inaequalitas, from inaequalis unequal, from in- + aequalis equal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inequality

• triangle inequality

Rhymes for inequality

• causality
• equality
• frivolity
• sodality
• jollity
• polity
• quality

Kids Definition

inequality

noun

in·​equal·​i·​ty ˌin-i-ˈkwäl-ət-ē 

plural inequalities

1

: the quality of being unequal

2

: an instance of being unequal (as an irregularity in a surface)

3

: a statement in mathematics or logic that two quantities usually separated by a special sign (as <, >, or ≠ respectively meaning "is less than," "is greater than," or "is not equal to") are not equal