un ‧ e ‧ ven /ʌnˈiːv ə n/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . not smooth, flat, or level:
She walked back carefully over the uneven ground.
2 . not regular:
His breathing had become uneven.
uneven rates of development
3 . not equal or equally balanced:
an uneven distribution of resources
4 . good in some parts and bad in others:
an uneven performance
—unevenly adverb
—unevenness noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
▪ rough having a surface that is not flat or smooth:
rough ground
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a rough mountain path
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The walls were all rough.
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Her hands were rough and work-hardened.
▪ uneven an uneven surface has areas that are not flat or not all at the same level:
The floor was uneven.
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She climbed the uneven steps with great care.
▪ bumpy a bumpy road, path, or area of land has a lot of holes and raised parts in it:
the bumpy track down to the farm
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The field was too bumpy to play football on.
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a bumpy journey (=on a road that has a very rough surface)
▪ coarse having a rough surface that feels slightly hard – used especially about materials such as cloth or wool:
coarse woollen blankets
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coarse grass
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The wool felt rather coarse.
▪ rugged /ˈrʌɡəd, ˈrʌɡɪd/ land that is rugged is very rough and uneven and is often in a high place:
the rugged terrain near the mountains