un·equal
ˌən-ˈē-kwəl 
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
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
: one that is not equal to another
archaic
: in an unequal manner
unequal match'd—
William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareExamples of unequal in a Sentence
Adjective
unequal academic standards for male and female students
unequal justice based on race
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
The federal lawsuit alleges that Troy violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law protecting individuals and religious institutions from unequal or discriminatory land use regulations.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 May 2025
For a few years, until 1968, the Legislature added both district and borough-wide seats, but since then, only borough-wide judgeships have been added, as the vastly unequal districts were just leftovers that kept hanging around.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
Research also finds that the racial achievement gaps documented in regular classroom learning are magnified in remote settings, likely due to unequal access to technology.
—Zohara Assadipour, The Conversation, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unequal
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Adjective
That unequal treatment presents a serious problem under current free exercise law.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
The federal lawsuit alleges that Troy violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law protecting individuals and religious institutions from unequal or discriminatory land use regulations.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 May 2025
For a few years, until 1968, the Legislature added both district and borough-wide seats, but since then, only borough-wide judgeships have been added, as the vastly unequal districts were just leftovers that kept hanging around.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
Research also finds that the racial achievement gaps documented in regular classroom learning are magnified in remote settings, likely due to unequal access to technology.
—Zohara Assadipour, The Conversation, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unequal
Cite this Entry
“Unequal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unequal. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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