unequal

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adjective un·equal \ ˌən-ˈē-kwəl \

Definition of unequal

1 a :not of the same measurement, quantity, or number as another

b :not like or not the same as another in degree, worth, or status

2 :not uniform :variable, uneven

3 a :badly balanced or matched

an unequal contest

b :contracted between unequals

unequal marriages

c archaic :not equable

4 archaic :not equitable :unjust

5 :inadequate, insufficient

unequal to the task

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unequally

play \ˌən-ˈē-kwə-lē\ adverb

See unequal defined for English-language learners

See unequal defined for kids

Examples of unequal in a Sentence

unequal academic standards for male and female students
unequal justice based on race

Recent Examples of unequal from the Web

A press release from the ACLU says the president’s ban singles them out for unequal treatment under the law.

— claire landsbaum, The Cut, "The ACLU Is Suing the Trump Administration Over Its Ban on Transgender Troops," 28 Aug. 2017
Gregg said the provisions, known to lawyers as pre-dispute arbitration agreements, create an unequal balance of power between the nursing home and its elderly patients or the family members caring for them.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "You Can't Blame This Bit of Conservative Cruelty on Trump," 7 Aug. 2017
In the latest example, after holding a series of town halls on urban education, the NAACP found troublesome evidence of separate and unequal systems of education.

— max c. eden, National Review, "The NAACP’s Inept Vendetta against Charter Schools," 3 Aug. 2017
The remembrances and programs and major earth-shattering film all come as Detroit faces yet another incarnation of discrimination and unequal treatment.

— rochelle riley, Detroit Free Press, "The rebellion that almost killed Detroit will some day make it stronger," 29 July 2017
Such unequal arrangements can make a transition trickier.

— The Economist, "KKR, a private-equity giant, lays out its succession plan," 20 July 2017
Milwaukee residents' unequal access to trails stems from the country's history of transportation and land use planning for the last 50 years, said Liz Thorstensen, vice president of trail development for Rails-to-Trails.

— haley hansen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Just 8% of Milwaukee residents live within a half mile of a trail, report says," 16 July 2017
Many other actors have recently called out unequal pay in Hollywood.

— suzannah weiss, Teen Vogue, "Hawaii Five-0's Asian Stars Quit Over Reportedly Unequal Pay," 4 July 2017
The city's Gini coefficient -- an index from 0 to 1 that measures inequality, with higher scores indicating a more unequal society -- has risen from 0.525 in 2001, to 0.539 in 2016, the highest since records began almost five decades ago.

— james griffiths, CNN, "5 major challenges for Hong Kong's new leader Carrie Lam," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unequal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unequal

1565

unequal Synonyms

Synonyms

changing, erratic, fluctuating, irregular, uneven, unstable, unsteady, varying

Antonyms

changeless, constant, stable, steady, unchanging, unvarying

Related Words

capricious, changeable, changeful, choppy, fickle, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, uncertain, unsettled, variable, volatile

Near Antonyms

regular

unequal

noun

Definition of unequal

:one that is not equal to another

First Known Use of unequal

1600

unequal

adverb

Definition of unequal

archaic

:in an unequal manner

unequal match'd
—William Shakespeare

First Known Use of unequal

1602

UNEQUAL Defined for English Language Learners

unequal

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adjective

Definition of unequal for English Language Learners

: not the same in a way that is unfair : giving more advantages, power, etc., to some people and less to other people for unfair reasons
: different in number, degree, quality, size, etc.
: not able to do what is needed