inequality
gb/ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/ us/ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
B2
Inglés
~ 5400
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B2
state
1
unfair differences in status or wealth
A situation where some people have much more money, power, or chances in life than others, in a way that is not fair.
Patrón de uso:
[inequality] between [groups] / [inequality] in [area]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse "inequality" with "inequity". "Inequality" focuses on differences in level (money, power, chances), while "inequity" is usually used for unfair treatment or unfair rules. In most news and everyday speech about society and money, "inequality" is more common.
Sinónimos
disparity (Often used for measurable differences, slightly more neutral and technical.)
|
inequity (More formal; strongly highlights unfairness and injustice.)
Antónimos
equality (Direct opposite; everyone has the same status, rights, or opportunities.)
|
fairness (Stresses justice and reasonable treatment rather than numerical sameness.)
Colocaciones
social inequality
|economic inequality
|income inequality
|gender inequality
|racial inequality
|inequality of opportunity
Temas
society
|politics
|economics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Rising income inequality has become a major political issue.
- The report highlights deep social inequality between urban and rural areas.
- Many activists are fighting against gender inequality in the workplace.
- Racial inequality continues to shape housing, education, and employment outcomes.
- Governments can use taxes and benefits to reduce economic inequality.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- There is a lot of income inequality in this country.
- They are working to end gender inequality at the company.
- Racial inequality affects where many people can live.
- Social inequality can make poor children feel hopeless.
- The new law tries to reduce economic inequality.
unknown
B2
state
2
lack of equality or balance
When two or more things are not the same in number, size, quality, or treatment.
Patrón de uso:
[inequality] in [something] / [inequality] between [things or people]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use "difference" when they specifically mean an unfair or problematic "inequality". "Difference" is neutral, but "inequality" suggests that the lack of balance is important or possibly unfair.
Sinónimos
imbalance (Emphasizes that one side is larger or stronger; often used for numbers, power, or resources.)
|
unevenness (More informal and physical-sounding; often used for degree or quality rather than rights.)
Antónimos
equality (Direct opposite; all sides or people are the same in level or treatment.)
|
balance (Focuses on even or proper proportion between sides.)
Colocaciones
inequality in access
|inequality in treatment
|inequality between regions
|inequality in test scores
|inequality of resources
|inequality in distribution
Temas
general
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- There is clear inequality in access to high-quality schools across the city.
- The data show significant inequality in test scores between the two groups.
- Inequality of resources made cooperation between the partners difficult.
- The study looked at inequality in health outcomes between men and women.
- Inequality in treatment of employees can damage trust in a company.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- There is inequality in the pay of the two teams.
- We found inequality in the number of books in each class.
- Inequality in treatment made some workers very angry.
- The results show inequality between the two groups.
- They want to reduce inequality in access to clean water.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
relation
3
mathematical not-equal relation
In math, a sentence with numbers or letters that shows that two values are not the same, or that one is bigger or smaller than the other.
Patrón de uso:
to solve [an inequality] / [an inequality] in [variable]
Error frecuente:
Learners often confuse an "inequality" with an "equation" and use the equals sign (=) instead of inequality signs (<, >, ≤, ≥). They may also say "solve the equation" when they should say "solve the inequality".
Sinónimos
inequality statement (Explicit mathematical term; makes clear that this is a written mathematical relation.)
Antónimos
equation (An equation states that two expressions are equal, which is the opposite of an inequality.)
Colocaciones
solve the inequality
|linear inequality
|quadratic inequality
|strict inequality
|inequality sign
|system of inequalities
Temas
mathematics
|education
|science
Ejemplos
- To solve the inequality x + 3 > 7, you subtract 3 from both sides.
- The teacher asked us to graph the inequality y ≤ 2x − 1 on the coordinate plane.
- This theorem only applies if the inequality a < b is true.
- Students often confuse the symbols when writing inequalities.
- Each inequality in the system represents a different constraint.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- We learned how to solve an inequality in math class.
- Please write an inequality to show that x is greater than 5.
- The teacher showed us how to draw an inequality on a number line.
- This inequality says that y is less than or equal to 10.
- Be careful with the sign when you write the inequality.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
inequality
AFI
GB/ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
US/ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
Sílabas y acento
in - equal - ity (3 sílabas)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ity)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: inequality
- Plural: inequalities, inequality
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
address inequality
1/ˈædɹˌɛs ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
formal
to deal with inequality
To try to solve problems of inequality, usually with plans or policies.
Ejemplos
- The mayor promised to address inequality in housing and education.
- Any serious reform must address inequality directly.
- The program was created to address inequality in rural areas.
deep inequality
1/dˈip ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
very serious inequality
Inequality that is very strong and affects many areas, such as education, health, and income.
Ejemplos
- The country struggles with deep inequality rooted in its history.
- Deep inequality can damage trust in institutions.
- The novel portrays deep inequality between social classes.
economic inequality
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪk ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
unequal distribution of wealth
The situation where money and other resources are not shared fairly between people or groups in a country.
Ejemplos
- Economic inequality is often higher in large cities.
- Many economists warn that extreme economic inequality can slow growth.
- The book analyzes the causes of economic inequality over time.
gender inequality
1/d͡ʒˈɛndɚ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
unfair difference between genders
Unfair differences between men, women, and other genders in pay, rights, or chances in life.
Ejemplos
- Gender inequality is still common in many industries.
- New laws were introduced to tackle gender inequality in politics.
- The study shows clear gender inequality in promotion rates.
growing inequality
1/ɡɹˈoʊɪŋ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
inequality that is increasing
Inequality that is becoming bigger and more serious over time.
Ejemplos
- Many voters are worried about growing inequality.
- The report warns that growing inequality could harm social stability.
- Despite economic growth, growing inequality remains a challenge.
health inequality
1/hˈɛlθ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
difference in health between groups
The situation where some groups of people are much less healthy or have worse healthcare than others.
Ejemplos
- Health inequality has widened between rich and poor areas.
- The study focuses on health inequality among older adults.
- Reducing health inequality is a key goal of the public health campaign.
income inequality
1/ˈɪŋkˌʌm ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
difference in how much people earn
The situation where some people or groups earn much more money from work than others.
Ejemplos
- Income inequality has increased sharply over the last forty years.
- The government is under pressure to introduce policies that reduce income inequality.
- High levels of income inequality can lead to social tension.
inequality of opportunity
1/ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti əv ˌɑpɚtˈunɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
unfair differences in life chances
When some people have many chances to study, work, or improve their lives and others do not.
Ejemplos
- Inequality of opportunity often begins in early childhood.
- The policy aims to reduce inequality of opportunity between rich and poor children.
- Many argue that inequality of opportunity is the most harmful form of inequality.
reduce inequality
1/ɹɪdˈus ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
to make inequality smaller
To take action so that differences between groups become less big or less unfair.
Ejemplos
- The new tax plan is designed to reduce inequality.
- Education is often seen as a way to reduce inequality over time.
- Many charities work to reduce inequality in their communities.
regional inequality
1/ɹˈid͡ʒənəl ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
differences between regions
The situation where some parts of a country are much richer or more developed than other parts.
Ejemplos
- Regional inequality has grown as jobs move to big cities.
- The government invested in transport links to address regional inequality.
- Regional inequality can create political tension.
rising inequality
1/ɹˈaɪzɪŋ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
inequality that is going up
Inequality that is becoming higher over time.
Ejemplos
- Rising inequality has changed the political landscape.
- The minister spoke about the dangers of rising inequality.
- Rising inequality is often linked to changes in the labor market.
social inequality
1/sˈoʊʃəl ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
differences in social status and power
The situation where some groups in a society have much more power, respect, or chances in life than others.
Ejemplos
- Social inequality can be seen in access to education, housing, and healthcare.
- The film explores social inequality through the lives of two families.
- Addressing social inequality requires long-term policy changes.
stark inequality
1/stˈɑɹk ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
very clear and severe inequality
Inequality that is very strong and easy to see.
Ejemplos
- The two neighborhoods show stark inequality in living conditions.
- There is stark inequality between the richest and the poorest citizens.
- The study reveals stark inequality in digital access.
tackle inequality
1/tˈækəl ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
to work hard to reduce inequality
To take strong action to fight inequality and try to make it smaller.
Ejemplos
- The charity was set up to tackle inequality in education.
- Governments must do more to tackle inequality in their societies.
- We need a long-term plan to tackle inequality, not just short-term fixes.
wealth inequality
1/wˈɛlθ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
unequal ownership of assets
The situation where a small group of people owns much more property, savings, or other assets than most people.
Ejemplos
- Wealth inequality is often even higher than income inequality.
- The article examines how tax policy affects wealth inequality.
- Growing wealth inequality has become a major public concern.
widening inequality
1/wˈaɪdənɪŋ ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
gap between groups getting wider
Inequality that is spreading, so the difference between groups is bigger than before.
Ejemplos
- Widening inequality is a concern in many advanced economies.
- The author links widening inequality to changes in technology.
- The graph shows widening inequality over the past decade.
racial inequality
1/ɹˈeɪʃəl ˌɪnɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
unequal conditions between racial groups
Big differences in power, money, or chances in life between people of different races.
Ejemplos
- Protesters marched to draw attention to racial inequality in the justice system.
- The documentary explores racial inequality in the education system.
- Racial inequality can be seen in employment and housing statistics.
- Racial inequality remains a major challenge in the job market.
- The report recommends steps to reduce racial inequality in schools.
- They are working on policies to reduce racial inequality in healthcare.