1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective uneven contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of uneven are harsh, rough, rugged, and scabrous. While all these words mean "not smooth or even," uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.

an old house with uneven floors

When is harsh a more appropriate choice than uneven?

The synonyms harsh and uneven are sometimes interchangeable, but harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.

a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

In what contexts can rough take the place of uneven?

While in some cases nearly identical to uneven, rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.

a rough wooden board

When could rugged be used to replace uneven?

The words rugged and uneven are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.

a rugged landscape

When is it sensible to use scabrous instead of uneven?

While the synonyms scabrous and uneven are close in meaning, scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.

a scabrous leaf

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of uneven Gentrification, displacement, and the uneven geography of investment threaten to hollow out what remains of historically Black business districts. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025 That’s even if the movie is uneven dramatically, weighed down by traumas and break-ups and breakdowns in the later stretches, and with too many shots of Aishe (Uyghur) jogging toward her future. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025 Bilosi says one surefire indicator of uneven extraction is deep channeling in the coffee bed that looks like someone burrowed a few narrow holes all the way down. Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025 Advertisement As a result, Little Rock public schools had vastly uneven racial makeups from building to building. Time, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uneven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uneven
Adjective
  • Most of the surface is made up of a fine dust with jagged edges because it hasn’t been weathered by wind or water.
    Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Against all of this allegedly heady stuff, the score—by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—intentionally jars us from encroaching drowsiness with chortling woodwinds and shardlike piano chords that are the aural equivalent of jagged Plexiglass off-cuts.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The dust of Ogunleye, the crooked end of the street, the large canal by my uncle’s shop, the small stream of water that flowed behind our house into the large canal at the other end of the street, the foul smell that overcame the street the first time, the getting used to, the boys.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • For a Chicago Cubs lineup that has struggled lately to consistently score runs, let alone put up a crooked number, Friday’s opener against the Colorado Rockies provided the ideal bounce-back environment coming off the sweep in San Francisco.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Homers reheat Royals’ cold offense The Royals’ offense has hit another rough patch.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Additionally, avoid using any pads or scrubbers with a rough surface that could damage the cabinet finish.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Light and shadow play across the tilted façades, creating a dynamic and surreal composition.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The tilted pinnacle resembles a jaunty ship cutting through clear air.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The Marswalker has rugged wheels in each corner for gripping the steps, as well as a long antenna to sense angles and heights.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The two largest rams were lying down, seemingly enjoying their cuds and the panorama of Bear Canyon and the rugged San Andres Mountains that stretched beyond them.
    Tim Kelly, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Corporate governance has long grappled with the challenge of information asymmetry—the unequal distribution of critical knowledge between management and oversight bodies such as boards and shareholders.
    Michael Hilb, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Clairet alleges her tenure at Disney started on unequal footing, accusing the company of hiring a man for the same work but with a more senior title and higher pay.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Anthony has an oblique strain that could sideline him for four to six weeks, according to Alex Cora.
    Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Hill was set to participate in parts of practice Wednesday after missing three-plus weeks with an oblique injury; McDaniel said his return has gone well.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For her, the loss of $40 isn’t the real issue, but rather the broken trust and the strange turn the situation has taken.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
  • As the family unravels, Genevieve must summon the courage to save her broken family – and herself – but not without a cost.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uneven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uneven. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on uneven

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!