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

As my colleague Eleanor Pringle reported this week, entrepreneur Mark Cuban wants to address America’s growing wealth inequality by making employers choose between paying higher taxes or giving every member of staff company stock. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Extreme inequality is commonplace, so why do people accept it? — Jen Cole Wright, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026

This story about nurse practitioners was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. — Colleen Connolly, STAT, 24 Aug. 2026

Those ideas say some people are superior to others, and the inequality that exists in the world around us reflects those innate differences, and inequality is a good thing, and a necessary thing, and the only real way to organize social life. — John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 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