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

Perhaps most important, pro-worker AI could create good service jobs for workers who aren’t college educated, and thus begin to uproot the inequality that has been entrenched in the postindustrial economy. — Daron Acemoglu, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026

His ten-point plan was also later endorsed by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a testament to how Black religious groups sought to address wealth inequality. — Literary Hub, 27 July 2026

And deep gender inequality still persists, despite these reforms. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 July 2026

These are predictable outcomes of a system that exposes women, often in isolation, to contact with unknown men under conditions shaped by coercion, stigma, and inequality. — Judy Harris Kluger, New York Daily News, 26 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