asymmetric

American  

[ey-suh-me-trik, as-uh-] / ˌeɪ səˈmɛ trɪk, ˌæs ə- /

Also asymmetrical

adjective

1. not identical on both sides of a central line; unsymmetrical; lacking symmetry.

   Most faces are asymmetric.

2. (of a logical or mathematical relation) holding true of members of a class in one order but not in the opposite order, as in the relation “being an ancestor of.”

3. Chemistry.

   1. having an unsymmetrical arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

   2. noting a carbon atom bonded to four different atoms or groups.

   3. (of a polymer) noting an atom or group that is within a polymer chain and is bonded to two different atoms or groups that are external to the chain.

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asymmetric British  

/ ˌeɪ-, ˌæsɪˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

1. not symmetrical; lacking symmetry; misproportioned

2. chem

   1. (of a molecule) having its atoms and radicals arranged unsymmetrically

   2. (of a carbon atom) attached to four different atoms or radicals so that stereoisomerism results

   3. involving chiral molecules

      asymmetric synthesis

3. electrical engineering (of conductors) having different conductivities depending on the direction of current flow, as of diodes

4. aeronautics having unequal thrust, as caused by an inoperative engine in a twin-engined aircraft

5. logic maths (of a relation) never holding between a pair of values x and y when it holds between y and x, as " …is the father of… " Compare symmetric antisymmetric nonsymmetric

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Other Word Forms

• asymmetrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of asymmetric

First recorded in 1870–75; a- ⁶ + symmetric ( def. )

Explanation

You describe something as asymmetric when it lacks the mirror-image quality of symmetry. That dress your sister sewed for you may appear stylishly asymmetric, but really the reason the sleeves are different lengths is because she doesn’t know how to use a tape measure. The a- prefix comes from Latin and makes a word into its opposite, so asymmetric is the opposite of symmetric. Asymmetric often describes an intentional part of a design, like a shirt with an asymmetric neckline. But it can also describe something that is the result of a mistake, injustice, or deformity, like asymmetric growth in a body, which may be a sign of disease.

Example Sentences

And Iranian strides in drone-making capabilities have boosted the country’s ability to wage asymmetric warfare.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

The war looks to be turning into a classic example of how a smaller, weaker power can fight an enemy that is bigger and stronger, the kind of conflict that strategists call asymmetric warfare.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Still, in pursuing their asymmetric strategy, Tehran’s commanders made one miscalculation.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

“Nearly a week into the conflict, Iran retains substantial asymmetric capability, with no clear endgame in sight,” Westpac’s Richard Franulovich says in commentary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

“If there were any way to get asymmetric forces out of that, where you get force in one direction and not the other, you’d get a propulsive force.’

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife