noun phrase · neutral
income inequality
UK/ˈɪnkəm ˌɪnɪˈkwɒlɪti/US/ˈɪnkəm ˌɪnɪˈkwɑːləti/IN·come in·i·QUAL·i·ty
The difference in how much money people earn across a society.
Examples
“In many cities, income inequality has increased as housing costs rose faster than wages.”
“Policies such as minimum wage increases can help reduce income inequality.”
“Studying income inequality helps governments design targeted social programs.”
Band 8 sentence
“Income inequality has become a central concern for policymakers because it affects social mobility and long‑term economic growth.”
Collocations
- widen income inequality
- reduce income inequality
- measure income inequality
Word family
Common mistakes
income unequal→income inequality
income inequality increasing→income inequality is increasing
Say it for a higher band
5poverty→6gap between rich and poor→7+income inequality
Synonyms
economic inequality
Easily confused
economic inequality
“Researchers studied economic inequality across different regions.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Society & Government
Learn it with its set