mismatched
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Not matched or paired correctly: Describes things that are not suitable partners or counterparts, often because they are different in type, size, color, or quality.
- Not fairly or evenly matched: Describes opponents, teams, or contestants in a competition that are not of equal strength, ability, or resources, leading to an unfair or uneven contest.
Usage and Examples
Describing unsuitable pairings:
- She wore mismatched socks, one blue and one black.
- The puzzle pieces were mismatched and wouldn't fit together.
Describing unfair competition:
- It was a mismatched boxing bout between the champion and a novice.
- The debate felt mismatched, as one team had far more experience.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "mismatched" as a state: Often describes a static condition of being incompatible or poorly suited.
- Their personalities were fundamentally mismatched.
- In technology or engineering, it can describe incompatible components.
- The software update failed due to mismatched drivers.
Variants and Related Words
- Mismatch (noun): An instance of being mismatched; a failure to correspond or match.
- There was a clear mismatch between the job requirements and his skills.
- Mismatch (verb): To match (people or things) unsuitably or incorrectly.
- The coach mismatched the players, putting the weakest against the strongest.
Synonyms
- Ill-matched: Poorly suited to each other.
- Unsuitable: Not appropriate for a particular purpose.
- Uneven: Not equal or balanced, especially in a contest.
- Incompatible: Incapable of existing together in harmony.
Antonyms
- Matched: Corresponding or similar, forming a pair.
- Compatible: Able to exist or work together without conflict.
- Evenly matched: Having equal ability or strength in a competition.
Common Collocations and Phrases
- Mismatched couple/pair: Two people or items that seem unsuitable for each other.
- Mismatched components/parts: Pieces from different systems that do not work together.
- Mismatched opponents/teams: Competitors with a significant disparity in skill.
Adjective
- (of a contest or contestants) not fairly matched as opponents
- vaudeville...waged an uneven battle against the church
- either not matched or unsuitably matched