inequality

noun

in·​equal·​i·​ty ˌi-ni-ˈkwä-lə-tē How to pronounce inequality (audio)
Synonyms of inequality
1
: the quality of being unequal or uneven: such as
a
: social disparity
economic/racial/gender inequality
b
: disparity of distribution or opportunity
inequality of income/employment/education
c
: lack of evenness
hampered by the inequality of the ground
d
: the condition of being variable : changeableness
2
: an instance of being unequal
3
: a formal statement of inequality between two quantities usually separated by a sign of inequality (such as <, >, or ≠ signifying respectively is less than, is greater than, or is not equal to)

Examples of inequality in a Sentence

They discussed the problem of inequality between students. He accused the company of inequality in its hiring practices. He has proposed a new system designed to remove inequalities in health care.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His deep voice could command a room, and voters were drawn to his gruff populism and focus on economic inequality. — Kimberlee Kruesi, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 With the right policies, AI can reduce inequalities and expand opportunities. — Paschal Donohoe, Time, 8 July 2026 Local activists again organized protests near the resort, this year framed around economic inequality, according to local newspaper BoiseDev. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 July 2026 Twenty years later, that experiment is a global brand doing hundreds of millions in revenue, and the wrapper still looks unevenly broken on purpose, a small reminder of the inequality the whole company exists to fix. — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inequality

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inequalite, from Latin inaequalitat-, inaequalitas, from inaequalis unequal, from in- + aequalis equal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inequality was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing inequality

Rhymes for inequality

See All Rhymes for inequality

Browse Nearby Words

inequalitarian
inequality
inequigranular
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inequality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inequality. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

inequality

noun
in·​equal·​i·​ty ˌin-i-ˈkwäl-ət-ē How to pronounce inequality (audio)
plural inequalities
1
: the quality of being unequal
2
: an instance of being unequal (as an irregularity in a surface)
3
: a statement in mathematics or logic that two quantities usually separated by a special sign (as <, >, or ≠ respectively meaning "is less than," "is greater than," or "is not equal to") are not equal
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