metastable
adjective
meta·sta·ble
ˌme-tə-ˈstā-bəl 
: having or characterized by only a slight margin of stability
a metastable compound
Examples of metastable in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Then, those metastable states de-excite, causing the emission of a gamma-ray.
—
Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
Precise laser pluses ‘freeze’ atoms in place Interestingly, the team found that this metastable form preserves most of the electronic characteristics of the original crystalline silicon, including a slightly smaller band gap, a key factor in determining how the material conducts electricity.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2025
And there was no single form of equilibrium for a knitted sweater's resting shape; rather, there were multiple metastable states that were dependent on the fabric's history—the different ways it had been folded, stretched, or rumpled.
—Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024
Plugging those two numbers into the stability equations reveals that the universe is… metastable.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022
In 2000, astronomers predicted that metastable helium should show up in certain planetary atmospheres, but a search for it—reported in 2003,—on the planet HD 209458b, came up empty.
—Alexandra Witze, Scientific American, 4 May 2018
Guth wondered what would have happened if such a metastable phase transition occurred in the early universe.
—Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2017
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Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
Precise laser pluses ‘freeze’ atoms in place Interestingly, the team found that this metastable form preserves most of the electronic characteristics of the original crystalline silicon, including a slightly smaller band gap, a key factor in determining how the material conducts electricity.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2025
And there was no single form of equilibrium for a knitted sweater's resting shape; rather, there were multiple metastable states that were dependent on the fabric's history—the different ways it had been folded, stretched, or rumpled.
—Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024
Plugging those two numbers into the stability equations reveals that the universe is… metastable.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022
In 2000, astronomers predicted that metastable helium should show up in certain planetary atmospheres, but a search for it—reported in 2003,—on the planet HD 209458b, came up empty.
—Alexandra Witze, Scientific American, 4 May 2018
Guth wondered what would have happened if such a metastable phase transition occurred in the early universe.
—Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Metastable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metastable. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
metastable
adjective
meta·sta·ble
ˌmet-ə-ˈstā-bəl
: having or characterized by only a slight margin of stability
a metastable compound
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