asymmetry
noun
asym·me·try
(ˌ)ā-ˈsi-mə-trē 
plural asymmetries
: lack or absence of symmetry
As Mercury orbits the Sun, it experiences a small torque due to its slight asymmetry in the plane of its orbit …—
Johanna Miller
Johanna MillerFrench rococo was a part of this mood, which tended to favor pastel colors, asymmetry, a calculated disorder, a dreamy sensuality.—Jonathan D. Spence
Jonathan D. Spence"Handedness"—whether we are left- or right-handed—is a convenient indicator of the development of the brain asymmetries that are thought to be required for language.—Tim Flannery
Tim FlanneryExamples of asymmetry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been characterized by a basic asymmetry: The international recognition of Jewish national rights in Palestine has never been matched by a demand for Palestinian national rights.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
The Salt Typhoon attack was able to secure such wide-ranging access in part because of the fundamental asymmetry between the authoritarian approach Beijing takes to its cyberdefense and Washington’s more democratic perspective.
—Anne Neuberger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2025
Scholars and other close observers of presidential politics have tended to obscure this asymmetry.
—Terry M. Moe, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
Of course, this information asymmetry won’t last forever.
—Jay Mehta, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for asymmetry
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Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
The Salt Typhoon attack was able to secure such wide-ranging access in part because of the fundamental asymmetry between the authoritarian approach Beijing takes to its cyberdefense and Washington’s more democratic perspective.
—Anne Neuberger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2025
Scholars and other close observers of presidential politics have tended to obscure this asymmetry.
—Terry M. Moe, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
Of course, this information asymmetry won’t last forever.
—Jay Mehta, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for asymmetry
Cite this Entry
“Asymmetry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asymmetry. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
asymmetry
noun
asym·me·try
(ˈ)ā-ˈsim-ə-trē
plural asymmetries
1
: lack or absence of symmetry: as
a
: lack of proportion between the parts of a thing
especially
: want of bilateral symmetry
asymmetry in the development of the two sides of the brain
b
: lack of coordination of two parts acting in connection with one another
asymmetry of convergence of the eyes
2
: lack of symmetry in spatial arrangement of atoms and groups in a molecule
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