unease

noun

un·​ease ˌən-ˈēz 

: mental or spiritual discomfort: such as

a

: vague dissatisfaction : misgiving

b

: anxiety, disquiet

c

: lack of ease (as in social relations) : embarrassment

Synonyms of unease

• concern
• fear
• anxiety
• worry
• concernment
• uneasiness

Examples of unease in a Sentence

A feeling of unease came over her.

They noticed increasing signs of unease among the workers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Israel’s military says the incursions endanger operations, yet participants tout ties to far-right ministers, fueling regional unease that another once-marginal settler campaign could eventually reshape contested borders. — Natalie Melzer, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

The outcome of this unease and the Barcelona authority’s responsibility to its residents has been among the most dynamic and hardline of anywhere. — Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Shares of Google parent Alphabet were around 4% lower in premarket trading, but that primarily reflected investor unease over rising AI spending outlined in the company's earnings report on Wednesday. — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 23 July 2026

There’s understandably a lot of unease and a lot of complaint. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unease

• agrees
• appease
• bougies
• burmese
• chemise
• chickpeas
• chinese
• cowpeas
• curies
• decrees
• degrees
• disease