unequal to
1
6.3
- idiom
- /ʌnˈikwəl tu/
:
incapaz de
- Those who were incompetent tended to suspect that their abilities were unequal to the tasks, but the suspicion often failed to anticipate the magnitude of their shortcomings.
- unequal to the task
Examples
-
Egypt was unequal to a horde of desert tribesmen... when they'd scarcely a pistol to call their own.
-
For all her apparent light-spiritedness, however, Eleanor knew herself to have been unequal to the trials of the day.
Fiction book (1999) -
His struggles were unequal to her superior strength.
Fiction book (1990) -
The fairies were perhaps unequal to their task.
-
But these governments were now as broke as the people who needed their help, and as the depression deepened, they were unequal to the task.
Blog text (12) -
The complex system of government of the democratic, constitutional state is essentially designed to function under normal, peaceful conditions and is often unequal to the exigencies of a great national crisis.
Academic text (2016) -
But the guy who's in charge of the expedition is completely unequal to the task of negotiating with Ranjit Singh, who runs rings around him.
-
Rina's translator button struggled valiantly to render scraps of the other languages into English for her, but it was unequal to the task.
Fiction book (1997) -
His turn from self-interest to compassion reflects his conviction that the former, no matter how cleverly manipulated, is unequal to the task of reforming social life.
Academic text (1997) -
She worried that she was unequal to the challenges of her new job as a teacher.
Synonyms
162
3.4
Not able to do or experience something
141
4.9
Not able to do a job or task well
66
5.5
Not able to beat them because they are stronger or better
17
3.9
Not good enough to be acceptable
6
2.9
Having no ability or training to do something well
3
4.0
Not having the ability or resources to do something
2
4.7
Does not have enough skills, experience, or education for a job
2
4.6
Not having the tools or skills needed for a task
Antonyms
How Capable
Surface Forms
Morphology
unequal + to
Although 'unequal' literally means 'not equal' and 'to' is a simple preposition, the sense 'not capable of dealing with X' is a metaphorical extension (cf. 'not equal to the task' = 'not up to the task'). The relation to the constituents is partial and requires recognizing this figurative use, so a B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings may not reliably infer the MWE's full sense.
Etymology
Unequal to paints the picture of someone trying to lift a heavy load but not strong enough. They are literally unequal to the weight, so the phrase means 'not able' to handle a task.