asymmetrical

adjective

asym·​met·​ri·​cal ˌā-sə-ˈme-tri-kəl 

variants or asymmetric

ˌā-sə-ˈme-trik 

1

: having two sides or halves that are not the same : not symmetrical

an asymmetrical design

asymmetrical shapes

2

usually asymmetric of a carbon atom : bonded to four different atoms or groups

asymmetrically

ˌā-sə-ˈme-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of asymmetrical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her strapless Saint Laurent dress—from the Spring 2018 collection—had a sculptural bodice studded with silver rivets and an asymmetrical hem. — Alfredo Toriello, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026

The scale of an investment such as this one is asymmetrical with the legal and administrative capacity of a small, rural community, said Anthony Pipa, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies development and policy in rural areas. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

While it’s primarily designed for use with the PS5, the R5U features an asymmetrical stick layout similar to Xbox and Switch gamepads with a pair of drift-resistant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks. — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026

These platforms are colonizing existing speculative spaces—like election results and sporting outcomes—while profiting from areas of asymmetrical knowledge that were previously not possible to monetize. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek asymmetria lack of proportion, from asymmetros ill-proportioned, from a- + symmetros symmetrical

First Known Use

1690, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing asymmetrical

• asymmetrical digital subscriber line

Rhymes for asymmetrical

• diametrical
• geometrical
• unsymmetrical
• metrical
• obstetrical
• symmetrical
• trigonometrical

Kids Definition

asymmetrical

adjective

asym·​met·​ri·​cal ˌā-sə-ˈme-tri-kəl 

variants or asymmetric

-trik 

: not symmetrical

asymmetrically

-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

asymmetry

(ˈ)ā-ˈsim-ə-trē 

noun

Medical Definition

asymmetrical

adjective

asym·​met·​ri·​cal ˌā-sə-ˈme-tri-kəl 

variants or asymmetric

-trik 

1

: not symmetrical

2

usually asymmetric, of a carbon atom : bonded to four different atoms or groups

asymmetrically

-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb