unevenness

IPA/ʌnˈiːvnnəs/
IPA/ʌnˈiːvnnəs/

unevenness — noun

1. the state or condition of a surface, area, or physical layer not being smooth, l

1.名詞B2
釋義

the state or condition of a surface, area, or physical layer not being smooth, level, flat, or regular in shape across its whole extent.

例句

Benjamin noticed the unevenness of the old stone floor as he walked across the kitchen.

the unevenness of [physical surface]

The unevenness of the road made the bicycle ride very uncomfortable for Maja.

同義詞
  • irregularity

    focuses on the lack of a regular pattern or shape; more technical

  • roughness

    emphasises a textured, non-smooth surface rather than overall levelness

  • bumpiness

    informal; describes a surface with many bumps or raised areas

反義詞
  • evenness

    the direct opposite — a smooth, level surface

  • flatness

    specifically emphasises levelness without bumps or dips

文法句型

the unevenness of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Often describes surfaces, terrain, or physical distributions such as thickness or height across an area. The related adjective is uneven.

常見錯誤

❌The inequality of the floor made walking difficult.
✅The unevenness of the floor made walking difficult.
💡inequality refers to social or economic differences; unevenness is the correct term for a physically uneven surface.

2. the quality of being inconsistent in standard, with some parts or examples being

2.名詞C1
釋義

the quality of being inconsistent in standard, with some parts or examples being noticeably better or worse than others.

例句

Critics pointed out the unevenness of the film — brilliant scenes mixed with weak dialogue.

the unevenness of [creative work]

Gabriel hated the unevenness of his tennis — champion one day, poor the next.

同義詞
  • inconsistency

    broader term; can describe any lack of uniformity, not just quality

  • variability

    more neutral and technical; does not necessarily imply a negative judgment

  • patchiness

    informal; suggests some parts are good and others are poor, like patches

反義詞
  • consistency

    the opposite — uniform quality across all parts or instances

  • uniformity

    emphasises sameness of standard throughout

文法句型

the unevenness of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Commonly used about creative work (films, music, writing), performance (sports, exams), or quality across a set of items. Not used for physical surfaces.

常見錯誤

❌The unevenness of the product was consistently bad.
✅The unevenness of the product meant some units were good and others were bad.
💡unevenness implies variation, not uniformly poor quality. For consistently bad quality, use inferiority.