unequal
/ʌnˈiːkwəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈiːkwəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈē-kwəl/ (ame, mw)
unequal — adjective
- unequalpositive
- more unequalcomparative
- most unequalsuperlative
1. describing a situation in which different people or groups are not treated the s
describing a situation in which different people or groups are not treated the same way, giving some an unfair advantage over others.
The company faced public criticism for its unequal pay policy between male and female employees.
unequal + noun describing unfair policy
Many students believe the grading system is unequal because wealthier families can afford private tutoring.
Arjun argued that unequal access to healthcare is a major challenge in modern society.
The new law aims to reduce unequal treatment of people from different ethnic backgrounds.
Diego felt the competition was unequal because only one team had professional coaches.
- unfair
more direct and common; focuses on the moral judgement rather than the comparison
- inequitable
formal term specifically for systems that are not fair or just
- biased
unfairly favoring one side over another, often due to personal preference
用法筆記
This is the most common sense of 'unequal'. It often appears before nouns like 'treatment', 'access', 'pay', and 'opportunities' in discussions about fairness and social justice.
常見錯誤
2. not the same in size, amount, level, or quality when compared with another perso
not the same in size, amount, level, or quality when compared with another person or thing.
The two slices of cake were unequal, so Mei-Lin took the smaller piece without complaining.
unequal in size — comparing two items directly
An unequal distribution of resources can cause tension between different communities.
The teams were unequal in height, giving Oliver's group a clear advantage in the game.
Elena noticed the unequal curtain lengths and asked her mother to even them out.
- uneven
focuses on surface irregularity or lack of uniformity; more concrete than 'unequal'
- disproportionate
formal term for when something is too large or small relative to something else
- dissimilar
broader — describes things that are simply not alike in any way
常見錯誤
3. lacking the necessary ability, strength, or resources needed to deal with a part
lacking the necessary ability, strength, or resources needed to deal with a particular situation or task.
Amara felt unequal to the task of managing twenty new employees on her first day.
be unequal to the task — fixed expression
The old wooden bridge proved unequal to modern traffic demands and had to be closed.
prove unequal to [demands/requirements]
Kwame knew he was unequal to climbing the mountain without proper equipment.
The charity's small budget was unequal to the area's rising need for food.
- inadequate
broader — not good enough in quality or quantity for a purpose
- insufficient
more common for resources and quantities rather than personal ability
- incapable
stronger — lacking the ability altogether
文法句型
be unequal to + noun/-ing
用法筆記
Always used in the pattern 'unequal to + noun/gerund', never before a noun. This is a formal, somewhat old-fashioned construction. In everyday English, speakers prefer 'not up to', 'not capable of', or 'not enough for'.
常見錯誤
unequal — noun
1. a person or group that is not as powerful, important, or advantaged as another p
a person or group that is not as powerful, important, or advantaged as another person or group.
In a democracy all citizens are treated as equals, not as unequals before the law.
treated as unequals — typically plural
The trade agreement was signed between unequals, with the larger economy setting the terms.
Nia refused to be treated as an unequal and demanded a role in company decisions.
- inferior
stronger negative connotation; implies lower quality rather than simply different status
- subordinate
specifically about rank or position in a hierarchy
用法筆記
Almost always appears in formal or academic writing. The plural form 'unequals' is far more common than the singular 'unequal'.
unequal — adverb
1. in a way that is not fair, even, or balanced between two or more people or thing
in a way that is not fair, even, or balanced between two or more people or things.
The food was divided unequally, and the oldest got twice as much as the youngest.
standard adverb form: unequally
Responsibilities were shared unequally, so Yuki ended up doing most of the paperwork.
- unequally
the standard modern adverb — always preferred in current English
- unfairly
focuses on the injustice rather than the imbalance
- disproportionately
formal — in a way that is too large or too small when compared to other factors
用法筆記
This adverb form is archaic and rarely used in modern English. In contemporary speech and writing, the standard adverb is 'unequally'. This form appears mainly in older literary texts.