unequally

/ʌnˈiːkwəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈiːkwəli/ (ame, ipa) · /¦ən+ How to pronounce unequally (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unequally — adverb

1. used to describe a situation where some people or groups receive an unfair advan

1.副詞B2
釋義

used to describe a situation where some people or groups receive an unfair advantage or are placed at a disadvantage compared to others, especially when the treatment should have been the same for everyone

例句

Karim felt that the company's bonus system treated junior staff unequally.

treated + unequally — describing unfair workplace policy

The law was applied unequally, punishing poor citizens far more often than wealthy ones.

同義詞
  • unfairly

    broader term; unequally specifically contrasts with an expected equal standard

  • unjustly

    stronger moral or legal judgement than unequally

  • inequitably

    formal; common in legal and policy contexts

反義詞
  • fairly

    treating all parties the same

  • equally

    giving the same treatment or rights to everyone

用法筆記

Often used with passive or participle forms: are treated unequally, are funded unequally, are distributed unequally.

常見錯誤

❌The cake was divided unequally' (when meaning unfair treatment).
✅The workers were paid unequally for the same job.
💡Sense 1 (UNFAIR TREATMENT) requires a social or group context where fairness is at stake, not just physical division.

2. used to describe how something is divided or distributed across different people

2.副詞B2
釋義

used to describe how something is divided or distributed across different people, places, or parts in amounts or proportions that are not the same

例句

The land was divided unequally among the three children of the farmer.

divided unequally among — distribution with preposition

Rainfall is distributed unequally across the different regions of this island.

同義詞
反義詞
  • equally

    in amounts or shares that are the same

  • evenly

    smoothly distributed in a balanced way

用法筆記

Common with verbs of dividing, sharing, or distributing: divided, distributed, split, shared, spread, portioned.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher unequally explained the lesson to the class.
✅The teacher divided the class into unequally sized groups for the activity.
💡Unequally describes how something is shared or divided, not the manner of an action like explaining.