unmatched

Everyday

1. Better than all others; with no equal: unmatched skill. tree →
2. Not paired or matching: unmatched socks. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, unmatched socks are odd ones without a pair. In maths, matching and pairing activities leave some items unmatched — counting them finds the difference between two groups. In stories and adverts «unmatched» praises someone as the best.

Examples

• Her speed on the track is unmatched. tree →
• I found three unmatched socks under the bed. tree →
• The view from the top is unmatched. tree →
• Match each number to its double; two numbers are left unmatched. tree →
• There are 12 boys and 15 girls; if each boy pairs with a girl, 3 girls are unmatched. tree →
• The castle's beauty is unmatched in the country. tree →

Note

Two very different senses: «the best» and «without a pair» — read the sentence to tell. In maths: unmatched = bigger group − smaller group when pairing one-to-one.