restless
adjective
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Definition of restless
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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for restless
Synonyms
agitating, anxious, creepy, disquieting, distressful, distressing, disturbing, fraught, hairy, nerve-racking (or nerve-wracking), nervous, tense, uneasy, unnerving, unsettling, worrisome
Antonyms
calming, comfortable, easy, peaceful, quiet, quieting, tranquil
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Examples of restless in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In a Hartford police arrest report, Perez-Rivera, is quoted as as telling detectives that the infant was restless and crying. — David Owens, courant.com, "Hartford Parents Charged With Manslaughter In Infant Daughter's Death," 8 June 2018 Mount Cleveland, one of the Aleutian Islands' most restless volcanoes, was put back on watch level status Tuesday after lava was seen flowing in its summit crater, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said. — Laurel Andrews, Anchorage Daily News, "Restless Aleutian volcano put back on watch status after lava flows in crater," 27 June 2018 There is little sign of that yet, but there are several reasons for thinking migrants might become more restless. — The Economist, "In China’s cities, young people with rural ties are angry," 3 May 2018 After a restless night, Shepherd still had the resolve to win the championship match the following day, another indication of her talent and resilience. — Clifton Brown, Indianapolis Star, "Center Grove's Erica Shepherd looking for repeat junior title, LPGA future," 14 July 2018 There’s also a Nintendo console at the back of the restaurant, in case restless teens (or adults) need a break. — Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, "Tables: Superfine Foods heads to Newburyport, a granola cafe opens in Arlington, and Little Dipper is spotted in JP," 12 July 2018 There’s still time for Montgomery, but back-to-back 3-9 seasons have made the fan base restless entering 2018. — Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, "Ten college football coaches on the hot seat entering this season," 6 July 2018 The character, Jean-Baptiste de la Battellerie, was a restless, colorful reporter always on the lookout for scoops. — Elian Peltier, New York Times, "Philippe de Baleine, Editor and Worldly Writer, Dies at 96," 3 July 2018 The 61-year-old actor, who portrays Sir John Falstaff, used his masterful improvisation skills to entertain a restless crowd at the Veterans Affairs’ West Los Angeles campus when an audience member became ill on Wednesday. — Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, "Tom Hanks Wows with His Masterful Improv Skills After a Medical Emergency During Shakespeare Play," 15 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'restless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Learn More about restless
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
'Restive': A Word That Won't Sit Still
'Restive': A Word That Won't Sit Still
Its latest sense has been in use for over a century
Dictionary Entries near restless
Statistics for restless
Last Updated
22 Sep 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for restless
The first known use of restless was before the 12th century
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More Definitions for restless
restless
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of restless
: feeling nervous or bored and tending to move around a lot : not relaxed or calm
: unhappy about a situation and wanting change
: having little or no rest or sleep
See the full definition for restless in the English Language Learners Dictionary
restless
adjective
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Kids Definition of restless
1 : not relaxed or calm The waiting audience became restless.
2 : having or giving no rest But it was a restless sleep in which he tossed and moaned continually. —Robert C. O'Brien, Rats of NIMH
restless
adjective
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Medical Definition of restless
1 : deprived of rest or sleep the patient was restless from pain
2 : providing no rest a restless night
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Comments on restless
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