# uneven

/əˈnivən/ (US) · /ʌnˈiːvən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/uneven
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. bumpy or rough

adjective · CEFR B1

not flat or smooth; having a surface that goes up and down.

For teachers: describing a surface that is not level, smooth, or flat; characterized by irregularities such as bumps or pits.

- The old road was so uneven that it was difficult to ride a bike on it.
- The contractor struggled to lay the tiles correctly because the underlying concrete floor was significantly uneven.

### 2. not equal or uniform

adjective · CEFR B2

not balanced or equal in size, amount, or strength.

For teachers: lacking symmetry, balance, or uniformity in distribution or proportion.

- The two teams were uneven, with one side having much better players.
- The wealth distribution in the region remains uneven, with the majority of resources concentrated in the urban centers.

### 3. varying in quality

adjective · CEFR B2

changing from good to bad; not consistent.

For teachers: characterized by inconsistent quality or performance; varying between high and low standards.

- The actor gave an uneven performance, being great in some scenes but boring in others.
- Critics noted that while the novel had brilliant moments of prose, the pacing was uneven and the ending felt rushed.

### 4. odd numbers

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic

describing a number that cannot be divided exactly by two.

For teachers: pertaining to odd numbers; not divisible by two. This usage is largely restricted to historical or specific mathematical contexts.

- In some old books, they use the word uneven to mean numbers like three or five.
- The treatise discusses the properties of uneven numbers, a term the author uses interchangeably with what we now call odd integers.

### 5. to make rough

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make a surface rough or not flat.

For teachers: to cause a surface or distribution to become irregular or non-uniform. This transitive use is relatively rare in modern English.

- The heavy rain started to uneven the dirt path through the garden.
- The constant shifting of the tectonic plates began to uneven the seabed over several millennia.

## Examples

- The road is uneven and bumpy.
- She walked carefully on the uneven path near the river.
- The uneven distribution of resources created significant challenges for the developing region.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.