What does "uneven" mean?
To make uneven.
Uneven
/ʌnˈivən/ adj, verb
adj, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make uneven.
- Grammar: uneven is listed as adj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: adulterated, apply unbalanced force, asperous, asymmetric.
- Useful contrasts: balanced, balanced forces, balanced property set.
- Usage evidence: The tamborim lends a very slightly uneven and highly distinctive 16th note groove to samba music.
How to use "uneven"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "uneven" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "uneven" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "uneven" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "uneven" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "uneven" is acting as adj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adulterated" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "uneven", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make uneven. transitive
"Initially it nestled among the dozens of Indian mounds that unevened the earth near the river until they were leveled to accommodate commerce."
Adjective
- 1 Of a surface, not even; covered with raised spots, pits and grooves.
- 2 Not level or smooth.
- 3 Not uniform.
"I've spent hours on overcrowded trains, and time on ones which were almost empty, because the recovery [from COVID] has been uneven."
- 4 Varying in quality.
"Even white activists who lacked a thoroughgoing anti-racist consciousness or were uneven in their understanding saw unity in the struggle against all forms of oppression as key."
- 5 Odd. rare
Adjective
- 1 lacking consistency wordnet
- 2 (of a contest or contestants) not fairly matched as opponents wordnet
- 3 not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture wordnet
- 4 not divisible by two wordnet
- 5 variable and recurring at irregular intervals wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The tamborim lends a very slightly uneven and highly distinctive 16th note groove to samba music."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "uneven"?
Common synonyms include: adulterated, apply unbalanced force, asperous, asymmetric, asymmetric, asymmetrical.
How do you use "uneven" in a sentence?
The tamborim lends a very slightly uneven and highly distinctive 16th note groove to samba music.
How do you pronounce "uneven"?
Pronounced /ʌnˈivən/.
Etymology
From Middle English uneven, from Old English unefen (“unequal, unlike, dissimilar, diverse, irregular”), equivalent to un- + even. Cognate with Dutch oneven (“unequal, uneven, odd”), German uneben (“uneven, rough, irregular, bumpy”).