un·e·qual

(ŭn-ē′kwəl)

adj.

1. Not the same in any measurable aspect, such as extent or quantity.

2. Not the same as another in rank or social position.

3. Consisting of ill-matched opponents: an unequal race.

4. Having unbalanced sides or parts; asymmetric.

5. Not even or consistent; variable.

6. Not having the required abilities; inadequate: "It was maddening to be unequal to many enterprises" (D.H. Lawrence).

7. Not fair. See Usage Note at equal.

One that is not the equal of another.

un·e′qual·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

unequal

(ʌnˈiːkwəl)

adj

1. not equal in quantity, size, rank, value, etc

2. (foll by to) inadequate; insufficient

3. not evenly balanced

4. (of character, quality, etc) irregular; varying; inconsistent

5. (of a contest, etc) having competitors of different ability

6. obsolete unjust

unˈequally adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•e•qual

(ʌnˈi kwəl)

adj.

1. not equal; not of the same rank, ability, etc.

2. not adequate, as in amount or ability (usu. fol. by to).

3. persons or things not equal to each other.

un•e′qual•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	unequal - poorly balanced or matched in quantity or value or measure incommensurate - not corresponding in size or degree or extent; "a reward incommensurate with his effort" equal - having the same quantity, value, or measure as another; "on equal terms"; "all men are equal before the law"
	2.	unequal - lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task; "inadequate training"; "the staff was inadequate"; "she was unequal to the task" inadequate unsatisfactory - not giving satisfaction; "shops should take back unsatisfactory goods"; "her performance proved to be unsatisfactory"; "life is becoming increasingly unsatifactory"; "our discussion was very unsatisfactory"

unequal

adjective

1. disproportionate, uneven, unbalanced, unfair, irregular, unjust, inequitable, ill-matched the unequal power relationships between men and women

2. different, differing, dissimilar, unlike, varying, variable, disparate, unmatched, not uniform These pipes appear to me to be all of unequal length.
different like, similar, equal, matched, equivalent, uniform, identical

3. (with to) not up to, not qualified for, inadequate for, insufficient for, found wanting in, not cut out for (informal), incompetent at Her critics say that she has proved unequal to the task.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

unequal

adjective

1. Lacking capability:

inadequate, incapable, incompetent, unfit, unqualified.

2. Not fair, right, or just:

inequitable, unfair, unjust.

Translations

غَيْر مُتَسأو

nestejný

ulig

ungleich unterschiedlich

άνισος

desigual

inégal

nem egyenlő

ójafn

ineguale non all'altezza del compito disuguale

nevienādsnevienlīdzīgs

nerovnaký

eşit olmayanfarklı

不平等的

unequal

[ˈʌnˈiːkwəl] ADJ

1. (= unfair) → desigual
the unequal distribution of wealth → la distribución desigual de la riqueza

2. (= differing) [size, length] → distinto
her feet are of unequal sizes → tiene los pies de distinto tamaño

3. (= inadequate) to be unequal to a task → no estar a la altura de una tarea

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

unequal

[ˌʌnˈiːkwəl] adj

(= unfair) [contest, relationship, distribution] → inégal(e); [political system] → inégalitaire
unequal pay → les inégalités de salaire
That's certainly the main reason given by men for unequal pay → C'est certainement la raison principale invoquée par les hommes pour justifier les inégalités de salaire.

(= inadequate) to be unequal to sth → ne pas être à la hauteur de qch
She was unequal to the task → Elle n'était pas à la hauteur de la tâche.
to feel unequal to sth → ne pas se sentir à la hauteur de qch
I felt quite unequal to the challenge → Je ne me sentais pas vraiment à la hauteur du défi.
He felt unequal to the job → Il ne se sentait pas à la hauteur., Il ne se sentait pas à la hauteur de la tâche.

(= different) [size, length] → inégal(e)
to be of unequal sizes → être de taille inégale

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

unequal

adj → ungleich; standard, quality → unterschiedlich, ungleichförmig; work → unausgeglichen; unequal in length → unterschiedlich or verschieden or ungleich lang; to be unequal to a task → einer Aufgabe (dat) → nicht gewachsen sein; to be unequal to doing something → unfähig or nicht fähig sein, etw zu tun

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

unequal

[ʌnˈiːkw/əl] adj (length, objects) → disuguale; (amounts) → diverso/a; (division of labour) → ineguale
to be unequal to a task (frm) → non essere all'altezza di un compito

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

unequal

(anˈiːkwəl) adjective

not equal in quantity, quality etc. They got unequal shares of / an unequal share in the money.

unˈequally adverb

unequal

a. desigual; desproporcionado-a.

unequal

adj desigual

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property.

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If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.

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The left-hand scene presented the view of a very fine park, composed of very unequal ground, and agreeably varied with all the diversity that hills, lawns, wood, and water, laid out with admirable taste, but owing less to art than to nature, could give.

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'A window?' Nutty's brain was a little fatigued and he felt himself unequal to grasping this.

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I modestly declared myself to be quite unequal to the task imposed upon me--and I privately felt, all the time, that I was quite clever enough to perform it, if I only gave my own abilities a fair chance.

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"No, it's nobody living," said Godfrey, unequal to the considerate skill with which he would have wished to make his revelation.

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Let us first determine what are the proper limits of an oligarchy and a democracy, and what is just in each of these states; for all men have some natural inclination to justice; but they proceed therein only to a certain degree; nor can they universally point out what is absolutely just; as, for instance, what is equal appears just, and is so; but not to all; only among those who are equals: and what is unequal appears just, and is so; but not to all, only amongst those who are unequals; which circumstance some people neglect, and therefore judge ill; the reason for which is, they judge for themselves, and every one almost is the worst judge in his own cause.

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Each of the aforesaid quantities is said to be equal or unequal. For instance, one solid is said to be equal or unequal to another; number, too, and time can have these terms applied to them, indeed can all those kinds of quantity that have been mentioned.

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For military science to say this is like defining momentum in mechanics by reference to the mass only: stating that momenta are equal or unequal to each other simply because the masses involved are equal or unequal.

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If our sides were unequal our angles might be unequal.

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The long illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that attention which duty and affection equally dictated, and I have too much reason to fear that the governess to whose care I consigned her was unequal to the charge.

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Racing planes and digs alike have suffered severely--the former from 'unequal deposits of half-frozen slush on their vans (and only those who have "held up" a badly balanced plane in a cross-wind know what that means), and the latter from loaded bows and snow-cased bodies.

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