The tamborim lends a very slightly uneven and highly distinctive 16th note groove to samba music.
Source: tatoeba (814505)
Uneven
/ʌnˈivən/
Synonyms for "uneven" (293 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (59)
Verb(1 words)
apply unbalanced force
Adjective(11 words)
asymmetricasymmetricalblotchierbotchybumpierbumpiestchoppiercoarsest groundcraggiercrinkliestdisjointed farming
Noun(1 words)
calendar irregularity
Strong matches (88)
Verb(1 words)
fluctuatingfound wantinggrainygranulatedgutteringhairyhaltingharshherky-jerkyheteroclitehomespunhorripilantill-matchedill-sortedillegalimmatureimmethodicalimpairedimperfectimprecise
Show 33 more words
Adjective(25 words)
fragmented school communitygapped performanceheterogeneous mixture componentsimbalancedimbalanced forceinconsistent pacingirregularirregular cutirregular data patternirregular dayirregular edgeirregular layoutirregular movementirregular patternirregular publicationirregular shapeirregular shapesjaggyjerkierlopsided
Show 5 more words
Noun(6 words)
level mismatchlevel of shape irregularitymishmashmore unbalancedmost unbalancednonarithmetic sequence
Determiner(3 words)
more net unbalanced forcemost net unbalanced forcemost sudden motion-change
Related words (146)
nonstandardnonsymmetricalnonuniformnot perfectoddoffoff balanceoff-balanceout of proportionoverbalancedpartialpatchypimplypittedpluralisticpockypotholedraggedramblingrank
Show 77 more words
ripplyroughrough-castrough-grainedrough-hewnroughcastroughhewnruffledruggedruttedruttyscabrousscraggyscrappyshaggedshaggyshortsketchyskewskewedsnatchyspasmaticspasmicspasmodicspasticsporadicspottystaggeringtemperamentaltexturedunbalanceduncertainundeservedundevelopedundueunequableunequalunequitableunfinishedunjustunkemptunlawfulunlevelunmeetunmeritedunmethodicalunmetricalunorthodoxunperfectedunpolishedunrefinedunregularunrhythmicalunrightfulunsettledunsmoothunsoundunstableunsteadyunsymmetricalunsystematicunthoroughununiformvariablevariegatedvariformvariousvaryingveeringwanderingwantingwaveringwimpledwobblingwobblywrongwrongful
Adjective(37 words)
nonuniform distributionnubblyoddodd integerodd integersodd patternodd propertyodd three-digit numberodd-numbered itemspatchierpatchiestpebblypiecemeal lessonsraggederraggedestraggediestraggedyregional disparityrough guessrough terrains
Show 17 more words
rough woodrough-edgedrougherscratchierscratchyskewed contactsplotchiestspottiestspottystragglyunbalancedunbalanced colorunbalanced sampleunbalanced teamunequal forceunmirrored modelwartlike
Noun(7 words)
odd numberone sidedrough cutrough rock surfacesplotchingtrophic imbalanceunbalanced force causes motion
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adulterated, apply unbalanced force, asperous, asymmetric, asymmetric.
- Sentence evidence is available for uneven, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, 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 "uneven".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "uneven"
Keep "uneven" 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 "uneven" 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 "uneven", 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 "uneven" 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
5 entriesbiased gradingbumpy surfacerugged surfaceskewed distributionunequal treatment
Collocations
5 entriesuneven distributionuneven gradesuneven grounduneven resultsuneven surface
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
24 entriesShowing 16 of 24 words.
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
The ground was very uneven.
Source: tatoeba (2268164)
Tom rolled his ankle on some uneven ground.
Source: tatoeba (3130180)
Hikers were warned to be careful because the trail was uneven underfoot and had tree roots growing on it.
Source: tatoeba (3130214)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "uneven"?
Closest matches include adulterated, apply unbalanced force, asperous, asymmetric, asymmetric.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "uneven"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.