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
Because Argentina’s economy has been hobbling from one crisis to another for decades, this kind of instability isn’t uncommon.
—
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
But its instability has limited its use.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
In going dark, the gallery joins a slew of others that have shuttered in New York and Los Angeles in recent months as the art economy reckons with shifting tastes and buying patterns, steep US tariffs, and global financial, political, and social instability.
—News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2025
An unseasonably strong low-pressure system off Southern California is expected to shift inland, funneling moisture and atmospheric instability into Arizona.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instability
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Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
But its instability has limited its use.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
In going dark, the gallery joins a slew of others that have shuttered in New York and Los Angeles in recent months as the art economy reckons with shifting tastes and buying patterns, steep US tariffs, and global financial, political, and social instability.
—News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2025
An unseasonably strong low-pressure system off Southern California is expected to shift inland, funneling moisture and atmospheric instability into Arizona.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instability
Cite this Entry
“Instability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instability. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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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