inequality
noun
in·equal·i·ty
ˌi-ni-ˈkwä-lə-tē 
1
: the quality of being unequal or uneven: such as
a
: social disparity
b
: disparity of distribution or opportunity
c
: lack of evenness
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
Confusing a congressional edict to end segregation with DEI policies that have no genesis in the Black Civil Rights movement to end Jim Crow is historically ignorant, disrespectful, and harmful to the urgent need to focus on resolving continuing racial inequalities in public education.
—
Raymond Pierce, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
But deep inequality is widening, including in Silicon Valley, where inequality has grown at twice the clip of the rest of the U.S. Plus, President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs are expected to hammer local businesses small and large alike, should the president keep them in place.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
And even amid economic growth, the state is grappling with deep financial inequalities that persist between its various regions and other headwinds that could hamper further prosperity.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
From 1980 to the early 2020s, inequality in the United States soared, with the top one-thousandth of the population doubling its share of overall wealth, to around 14 percent.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inequality
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Raymond Pierce, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
But deep inequality is widening, including in Silicon Valley, where inequality has grown at twice the clip of the rest of the U.S. Plus, President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs are expected to hammer local businesses small and large alike, should the president keep them in place.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
And even amid economic growth, the state is grappling with deep financial inequalities that persist between its various regions and other headwinds that could hamper further prosperity.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
From 1980 to the early 2020s, inequality in the United States soared, with the top one-thousandth of the population doubling its share of overall wealth, to around 14 percent.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inequality
Cite this Entry
“Inequality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inequality. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inequality
noun
in·equal·i·ty
ˌin-i-ˈkwäl-ət-ē
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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