I must excuse myself from the task, because I am unequal to it.
Source: tatoeba (254378)
Unequal
/ʌnˈiːkwəl/
Synonyms for "unequal" (191 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Verb(1 words)
apply unbalanced force
Adjective(3 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (57)
disproportionatedissimilardissonantdistantdistinctdistinguisheddivaricatedivergentdivergingdiversdiversediversifieddiversiformeccentriceroseerraticfitfulflickeringfluctuatingguttering
Show 32 more words
haltingherky-jerkyheterocliteheterogeneousill-matchedill-sortedillegalimmethodicalimpulsivein disagreementinaccordantinadequateincompatibleincongruousinconsistentinconsonantinconstantinequitableinharmoniousiniquitousinsufficientintermittentintermittingirreconcilableirregularjaggedjerkylopsidedlurchingmanymercurialmismatched
Adjective(4 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (95)
Determiner(3 words)
more net unbalanced forcemost net unbalanced forceone sided work
Noun(1 words)
more unbalanced
motleymultifariousmutablenonconformistnonstandardnonsymmetricalnonuniformoddoff balanceoff-balanceotherotherwiseout of proportionoverbalancedpatchypluralisticpoles apartpoles asunderraggedrambling
Show 60 more words
roughscrappyseparateseparatedseveralskewskewedsnatchyspasmaticspasmicspasmodicspasticsporadicspottystaggeringunalikeunbalanceduncertainunconformableundeservedundueunequableunequitableunevenunjustunlawfulunlikeunmeetunmeritedunmethodicalunmetricalunorthodoxunreasonableunregularunrhythmicalunrightfulunsettledunsimilarunstableunsteadyunsymmetricalunsystematicununiformunworthyvariablevariantvariedvariegatedvariformvariousvaryingveeringwanderingwaveringwidely apartwobblingwobblyworlds apartwrongwrongful
Adjective(10 words)
nonuniform distributionpartialregional disparitysocial inequalityunbalancedunbalanced sampleunequal effortunevenunfairunjust
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: apply unbalanced force, assorted, asymmetric, asymmetric, asymmetrical.
- Sentence evidence is available for unequal, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unequal".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unequal"
Keep "unequal" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unequal" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unequal", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unequal" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
7 entriesbias in hiringdiscriminatory policygender biasracial discriminationunequal distributionunequal payunequal treatment
Collocations
6 entriesunequal accessunequal distributionunequal opportunitiesunequal outcomesunequal payunequal treatment
Inflections
2 entriesmore unequalmost unequal
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
22 entriesShowing 16 of 22 words.
Sample sentences
12 total sentences available.
I think that Japan's marriage system is an unequal and discriminatory contract disadvantageous to men.
Source: tatoeba (401966)
Saying no to unequal language rights isn't the same thing as paranoia.
Source: tatoeba (460345)
For a long time, society was strongly hierarchical and unequal, primarily composed of peasants. The most backward, impoverished segment of the population, they were crushed by the weight of taxes, wars, and famines.
Source: tatoeba (796116)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unequal"?
Closest matches include apply unbalanced force, assorted, asymmetric, asymmetric, asymmetrical.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unequal"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.