1
: lacking or denying rest : uneasy
a restless night
2
: continuously moving : unquiet
the restless sea
3
: characterized by or manifesting unrest especially of mind
restless pacing
also
: changeful, discontented
was becoming restless and unhappy with his job
The audience was restless.
restlessly
adverb
restlessness
noun
Examples of restless in a Sentence
restless children who can't sit still
The audience was becoming restless.
He started to feel restless and discontent in his job.
Recent Examples on the Web
The man lusting for power is always active, the center of the show, relentless, vigilant, distrustful, restless when anything stands in his way.
—
David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Omniscience gives way to a motley chorus of inner monologues and hushed conversations, kitchen table squabbles, restless thoughts, wistful memories.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The story follows Trey, a withdrawn ex-con surviving as a night driver on the city’s margins, who forms a tentative and increasingly intimate bond with Camden (Dafne Keen), a sharp and restless young woman working as a call girl.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
This restless state, known as a quantum spin liquid, could unlock new kinds of particles and serve as a foundation for quantum technologies that are far more stable than today’s fragile systems.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restless
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David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Omniscience gives way to a motley chorus of inner monologues and hushed conversations, kitchen table squabbles, restless thoughts, wistful memories.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The story follows Trey, a withdrawn ex-con surviving as a night driver on the city’s margins, who forms a tentative and increasingly intimate bond with Camden (Dafne Keen), a sharp and restless young woman working as a call girl.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
This restless state, known as a quantum spin liquid, could unlock new kinds of particles and serve as a foundation for quantum technologies that are far more stable than today’s fragile systems.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restless
Cite this Entry
“Restless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restless. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restless
adjective
rest·less
ˈrest-ləs 
1
: being without rest : giving no rest
a restless night
2
: always moving
the restless sea
3
: showing one to be uneasy
restless pacing back and forth
restlessly
adverb
restlessness
noun
Medical Definition
restless
adjective
rest·less
ˈrest-ləs
1
: deprived of rest or sleep
the patient was restless from pain
2
: providing no rest
a restless night
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