unsteady

verb

un·steady | \ ˌən-ˈste-dē

unsteadied; unsteadying; unsteadies

Definition of unsteady

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make unsteady

unsteady

adjective

Definition of unsteady (Entry 2 of 2)

: not steady: such as

a : not firm or solid : not fixed in position : unstable

b : marked by change or fluctuation : changeable

c : not uniform or even : irregular an unsteady pulse

Other Words from unsteady Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about unsteady

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Other Words from unsteady

Adjective

unsteadily \ ˌən-ˈste-də-lē

\ adverb

unsteadiness \ ˌən-ˈste-dē-nəs

\ noun

Examples of unsteady in a Sentence

Adjective

He was a little unsteady on his feet. The horse walked with an unsteady gait. He signed his name with an unsteady hand. The progress of the work has been unsteady. a period of unsteady growth

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The rocks shifted and wobbled beneath my feet as the robust current pushed against my legs, unsteadying me. — Cheryl Strayed, Vogue, "Is Glamping Camping? Wild’s Cheryl Strayed Tackles the Question—in Style," 17 July 2018 The administration's haphazard appointment process is unlike any in recent memory and has left the federal government unsteadied at the highest levels. — Robert O'harrow Jr., Anchorage Daily News, "Promoted six times and then fired: A 24-year-old political appointee's wild ride in Trump's Washington," 15 June 2018 Still, yesterday’s reports contributed to the latest in a mounting series of scandals that have unsteadied the Trump administration for months. — Isobel Thompson, The Hive, "Trump Confirms He Is Being Investigated for Obstruction," 15 June 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The Grammys rarely if ever showcase actual gospel music — and this would have been a great year to do so! — but choirs abound, providing sturdy ballast for unsteady performers. — Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Joe Coscarelli And Caryn Ganz, New York Times, "The Best and Worst of the Grammys," 29 Jan. 2018 This is already, at best, a very unsteady plot device (issues around race and policing are still about humans, for one thing). — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "The Happytime Murders turns raunchy puppet comedy into inexplicably boring dreck," 23 Aug. 2018 For instance, this may cause a postural imbalance which can lead to unsteady walking resulting in falls and other underfoot accidents. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Turns Out Kanye West’s Too-Small Yeezy Pool Slides Are Dangerous," 28 Aug. 2018 That is particularly true for older patients, who can become confused and unsteady or fall, said Thomas Scammell, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and a sleep medicine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. — Lenny Bernstein, chicagotribune.com, "Ambien should not be handed out 'like candy,' experts say of Jackson's alleged practices," 25 Apr. 2018 The retired warehouse worker has had unsteady years of late. — Joe Mozingo, latimes.com, "One of L.A.'s oldest community gardens thrived for decades. Then the water wars began.," 4 June 2018 Computer programs have reached a bewildering point in their long and unsteady journey toward artificial intelligence. — Judea Pearl And, WSJ, "AI Can’t Reason Why," 18 May 2018 The most provocative, if unsteady, episode involves Cory, the policeman with the MAGA hat. — James Poniewozik, New York Times, "Review: ‘Queer Eye’ Aims to Make America Gay(-Friendly) Again," 7 Feb. 2018 Privacy - Terms But Friday, in what was his second start since returning from the DL, Chen was once again unsteady, serving up a pair of home runs in the first and walking four batters overall in the loss. — Clark Spencer, miamiherald, "A bad first inning hurts Chen as Miami Marlins are unable to rally past Reds," 4 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unsteady.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.