MEANING
A difference in balance, distribution, or relationship between corresponding sides or parties.
Use it for
unequal bargaining positions; uneven effects; mismatched obligationsIdentify the dimension along which a relationship is unequal.
Words that belong together
- information asymmetry
- power asymmetry
- asymmetry between parties
On the page
Information asymmetry allowed sellers to conceal recurring defects.
The agreement preserved an asymmetry between the duties of large and small states.
An asymmetry in response time suggests that the two processes differ.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- asymmetry
Usage notes
Primary category: academic. In analysis, specify what is unequal: information, power, costs, or obligations. Mere difference is not always an asymmetry; it involves a relation lacking balance or symmetry. Singular: asymmetry; plural: asymmetries. Derived family (not inflections): asymmetric, asymmetrical.
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