ill at ease

adjective

: not feeling easy or relaxed : uncomfortable

Synonyms of ill at ease

• worried
• upset
• anxious
• nervous
• troubled
• uneasy
• on edge

Examples of ill at ease in a Sentence

He seemed ill at ease when we spoke with him.

I'm usually ill at ease when addressing a large crowd of people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dr Hoggett’s office was in a hospital across town, a building with long corridors, low ceilings, handwashing stations and works of art that were at once innocuous and ill at ease. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026

Stephenson and Howlin looked equally ill at ease. — Robin Muir, Vogue, 12 June 2026

Of course, no guest wants to dine at the home of a host whose off-putting etiquette makes everyone feel ill at ease either. — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ill at ease

• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees
• arrestees
• artistes
• assamese

Kids Definition

ill at ease

adjective

: feeling uncomfortable