uneasy

1 of 2

adjective

un·​easy ˌən-ˈē-zē 

1

: causing physical or mental discomfort

Uneasy news of captures and killings …

—Marjory S. Douglas

2

: not easy : difficult

3

: marked by lack of ease : awkward, embarrassed

gave an uneasy laugh

4

: apprehensive, worried

uneasy about the weather

5

: restless, unquiet

an uneasy night

6

: precarious, unstable

an uneasy truce

uneasiness noun

uneasy

2 of 2

adverb

: uneasily

Synonyms of uneasy

Adjective

• worried
• upset
• anxious
• nervous
• troubled
• apprehensive

Examples of uneasy in a Sentence

Adjective

Rain made the crew uneasy.

He has an uneasy relationship with his father.

We spent an uneasy night waiting for news.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That neighbor also raised concerns about security, saying fewer on-site resources and changes in how calls are handled have left some people feeling uneasy. —Daniel Wilkerson, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026

As dinner miraculously gets out, the tension in the galley spills over into the crew mess, where João, Jason, and Eddy sit in an uneasy silence. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026

Adverb

Master has a stew of storylines that don’t always perfectly blend together, but I was impressed by how effective and uneasy-making its mood remained all the way to the end. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2022

As prosecutors moved to drop charges against Mr. Watts, the man who had made Ms. Francisco uneasy returned to her shop on Jan. 4. —New York Times, 4 Feb. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing uneasy

• uneasy peace

Rhymes for uneasy

• marchese
• speakeasy
• breezy
• cheesy
• easy
• queasy
• sleazy
• wheezy

Kids Definition

uneasy

adjective

un·​easy

ˌən-ˈē-zē

1

: not easy in manner : awkward

uneasy among strangers

2

: disturbed by pain or worry : restless

rain made the crew uneasy

uneasily

-ˈēz-ə-lē

adverb

uneasiness

-ˈē-zē-nəs

noun