instability
noun
in·sta·bil·i·ty
ˌin(t)-stə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
: the quality or state of being unstable
especially
: lack of emotional or mental stability
Examples of instability in a Sentence
Investors are worried about the current instability of the stock market.
The patient has a history of emotional instability.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Gulf War left Saddam Hussein in power, but weakened and dangerous, a source of regional instability for another decade—a pattern that some fear might be playing out in Iran, if the regime emerges from the war battered but no less entrenched.
—
Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said the company is ready to face instability.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Middle East, Western imperial powers helped engineer a geopolitical order built on instability, mistrust, extraction and armed dependency.
—Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
But a longer-than-expected war, lasting regional instability, or sustained spikes in oil and gas prices could all push investors to pay more attention to the dangers hanging over markets.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instability
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Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said the company is ready to face instability.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Middle East, Western imperial powers helped engineer a geopolitical order built on instability, mistrust, extraction and armed dependency.
—Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
But a longer-than-expected war, lasting regional instability, or sustained spikes in oil and gas prices could all push investors to pay more attention to the dangers hanging over markets.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instability
Cite this Entry
“Instability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instability. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instability
noun
in·sta·bil·i·ty
ˌin(t)-stə-ˈbil-ət-ē
: the quality or state of being unstable
Medical Definition
instability
noun
in·sta·bil·i·ty
ˌin(t)-stə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural instabilities
: the quality or state of being unstable
especially
: lack of emotional or mental stability
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