unsettled

adjective

un·​set·​tled ˌən-ˈse-tᵊld How to pronounce unsettled (audio)
: not settled: such as
a(1)
: not calm or tranquil : disturbed
unsettled political conditions
(2)
: likely to vary widely especially in the near future : variable
unsettled weather
(3)
: not settled down
unsettled dust
b(1)
: not decided or determined : doubtful
an unsettled state of mind
(2)
: not resolved or worked out : undecided
an unsettled question
c
: characterized by irregularity
an unsettled life
d
: not inhabited or populated
unsettled land
e
: not mentally sound
f(1)
: not disposed of according to law
an unsettled estate
(2)
: not paid or discharged
unsettled debts
unsettledness noun

Examples of unsettled in a Sentence

We have some unsettled business to attend to. we've been having a lot of unsettled weather lately
Recent Examples on the Web The above-normal temperatures came after several weeks of unsettled weather, with cloudy, rainy and cooler-than-average conditions. Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 The next round of unsettled weather is predicted to bring snow, strong winds, severe thunderstorms, and flooding rainfall to various Midwestern cities, such as Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 10 Jan. 2024 However, the cancellation still left her feeling unsettled. People Staff, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023 The holiday weekend saw a lot of unsettled weather in the Bay Area but only moderate rain. Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 The pressure is on to bring a calming presence to his unsettled nation, but an assassination attempt on his family by gunmen invading his home rattles him. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 The El Niño pattern currently in place is favoring multiple rounds of heavy rain and an overall period of unsettled, rainy weather, according to NOAA. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2024 Another period of unsettled weather will sweep through the region Friday into Saturday. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 9 Jan. 2024 But the invasion of Ukraine has shown that in the unsettled state of the world, unexpected things can happen. David McHugh and Matthew Daly, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unsettled.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettled was in 1550

Dictionary Entries Near unsettled

Cite this Entry

“Unsettled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettled. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unsettled

adjective
un·​set·​tled ˌən-ˈset-ᵊld How to pronounce unsettled (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not settled : not fixed (as in position or nature)
unsettled weather
2
: not calm : disturbed
unsettled waters
3
: not decided in mind : undetermined
unsettled about what to do
4
: not paid
an unsettled account
5
: not lived in by settlers
an unsettled region

More from Merriam-Webster on unsettled

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