inequality

noun

Definition of inequalitynext
as in difference
a state or condition in which different things do not occur in equal amounts They discussed the problem of inequality between students. He accused the company of inequality in its hiring practices.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inequality This story was produced by WUSF and The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 The San Agustín tours predate this political change, and many of the capital’s old boundaries and inequalities still hold. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026 Lewis, a housing scholar at Sacred Heart University, said the project grew from her interest in housing inequality in Bridgeport and her desire to conduct research differently. — Reginald David, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026 Written nearly a century ago, the statement remains strikingly relevant, particularly in conversations about economic inequality, privilege, caste, education, and poverty. — Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inequality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inequality
  1. difference
  2. diversity
  3. distance
  4. imbalance
  5. distinctiveness
  6. distinctness
  7. divergence
  8. disparity
Noun
  • That difference was on display Wednesday in metro Atlanta when a Chinese auto parts company’s American division opened a new regional headquarters and factory.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The fundamental difference is that there is no longer a coronation, and the new monarch automatically becomes king upon the death of his predecessor.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of difference
Noun
  • The public speech extolled the diversity of the Scandinavian nation and was viewed on social media by millions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There have been relatively few large-scale national decomposition studies involving different land use types, although smaller studies have shown that how humans use a site can significantly affect the soil’s biological diversity.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of diversity
Noun
  • To study dark energy, Roman will measure how gravity bends light across large cosmic distances — creating a 3D map of dark matter in the process.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Shawn Ryan Tackling a distance like that will need considerably more solar area, but Ryan has ruled out the obvious fix of simply widening his current upright bike and plastering it with panels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of distance
Noun
  • Other possible causes flagged in the reporting include mild infection, IBS, microbiome imbalances, food sensitivities and general inflammation.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The trade imbalances that have come to characterize the global economy are fundamentally untenable.
    — MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of imbalance
Noun
  • The key lesson for personal branding is to embrace distinctiveness, substance, and a unique voice, rather than conforming to generic professionalism.
    — William Arruda, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • America is the ultimate answer to the pogrom, and to the emancipation Europe offered on the condition of relinquishing Jewish ethnic and cultural distinctiveness.
    — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of distinctiveness
Noun
  • How can the sense of an absolute union of all matter be reconciled with the endless multiplicity and distinctness of it?
    — Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • However, a few hours with Air Riders reveals the nuance and depth of its gameplay, the distinctness of this flavor of racing game and its sensory, chaotic, and strategic appeal.
    — Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
Definition of distinctness
Noun
  • Investor attention is currently shifting toward a growing divergence within technology equities, as market capital rotates away from mega-cap tech giants and into the AI infrastructure supply chain.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Why equal weight funds are beating the market The mechanics explain the divergence.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of divergence
Noun
  • Unlike conventional stereo systems, which mainly calculate horizontal differences between images from parallel cameras, CBS accounts for both horizontal and vertical disparities created when cameras converge on a target.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The data collection would serve to inform research initiatives, identify disparities and guide policy decisions, per the bill.
    — Sharon Udasin, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disparity

Browse Nearby Words

ineptness
inequality
inequitable
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Cite this Entry

“Inequality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inequality. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inequality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inequality

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