unrest

noun

un·​rest ˌən-ˈrest 

: a disturbed, uneasy, or turbulent state : turmoil

The country has experienced years of civil/social/political unrest.

Synonyms of unrest

• turmoil

Examples of unrest in a Sentence

The country has experienced years of civil unrest.

unrest gripped the city as the people nervously awaited the expected bombardment

Recent Examples on the Web

The Justice Department countered at an October 2025 hearing that detainees were never intentionally barred from contact with attorneys, but that circumstances during unrest on the streets over ICE immigration operations caused conditions at B-18 that were far from normal. —City News Service, Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026

The incident has stirred considerable unrest in the city. —Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2026

Here’s how market watchers are navigating it Energy markets have been rocked by volatility in recent days, as investors weigh a violent crackdown on civil unrest in oil-rich Iran — and the response from Washington. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, unrest inside Iran continued into its nineteenth day. —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unrest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

unrest

noun

un·​rest ˌən-ˈrest 

ˈən-

: lack of rest : a disturbed or uneasy state : turmoil