disequilibrium
noun
Simple meaning
Loss of equilibrium attributable to an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dihseekwuhlihbreeuhmSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
dɪsikwəˈlɪbɹiəm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Loss of equilibrium attributable to an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others
“The sudden shortage of housing created disequilibrium in the local rental market.”
The loss of equilibrium or stability, especially due to an imbalance of forces.
Word at a Glance
- Frequency
- Rare
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: Loss of equilibrium attributable to an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others
Used this way, disequilibrium is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The sudden shortage of housing created disequilibrium in the local rental market.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “disequilibrium in …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: disequilibrium in …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use disequilibrium
- “The sudden shortage of housing created disequilibrium in the local rental market.”noun
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.