asymmetry

noun

asym·​me·​try (ˌ)ā-ˈsi-mə-trē 

plural asymmetries

: lack or absence of symmetry

As Mercury orbits the Sun, it experiences a small torque due to its slight asymmetry in the plane of its orbit …

—Johanna Miller

French rococo was a part of this mood, which tended to favor pastel colors, asymmetry, a calculated disorder, a dreamy sensuality.

—Jonathan D. Spence

"Handedness"—whether we are left- or right-handed—is a convenient indicator of the development of the brain asymmetries that are thought to be required for language.

—Tim Flannery

Examples of asymmetry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Radical, self-serve transparency erases information asymmetry and cements trust. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Most of all, though, the new social media influence game highlights Chinese worry over the asymmetry in US-China relations. —Zichen Wang, semafor.com, 16 June 2025

Unfortunately, the myopic focus of the second Trump administration, which is obsessed with coercive hard power linked to trade asymmetries and sanctions, is likely to erode rather than strengthen the U.S.-led international order. —Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025

Your concerns are valid: The eyes are the most delicate and expressive features on the face, and poor outcomes can lead to unnatural shape, drooping lids, asymmetry or problems with vision if the surgery is done improperly. —Carlos Wolf, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for asymmetry

• altimetry
• dosimetry
• calorimetry
• colorimetry
• supersymmetry
• symmetry

Medical Definition

asymmetry

noun

asym·​me·​try (ˈ)ā-ˈsim-ə-trē 

plural asymmetries

1

: lack or absence of symmetry: as

a

: lack of proportion between the parts of a thing

especially : want of bilateral symmetry

asymmetry in the development of the two sides of the brain

b

: lack of coordination of two parts acting in connection with one another

asymmetry of convergence of the eyes

2

: lack of symmetry in spatial arrangement of atoms and groups in a molecule