: not steady: such as
a
: not firm or solid : not fixed in position : unstable
the colt's unsteady legs
an unsteady ladder
b
: marked by change or fluctuation : changeable
… the trends she traces are winding and unsteady …—
The Economist
The Economist
c
: not uniform or even : irregular
an unsteady pulse
d
: shaking or moving because of nervousness, weakness, etc.
signed with an unsteady hand
un·steady
ˌən-ˈste-dē 
unsteadied; unsteadying; unsteadies
: to make unsteady
rough seas unsteadied his gait
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
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
If something feels unsteady or on shaky ground, it will be revealed — not to break you, but to rebuild something stronger.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2019
The rocks shifted and wobbled beneath my feet as the robust current pushed against my legs, unsteadying me.
—Cheryl Strayed, Vogue, 17 July 2018
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
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Adjective
Where Aytaç was large but poised, Abdi was insubstantial, scrawny, and unsteady on his feet.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
If something feels unsteady or on shaky ground, it will be revealed — not to break you, but to rebuild something stronger.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
The changes offered purpose and vital human connections that seemed to serve as moorings in a life too routinely unsteadied by the gathering gloom.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2019
The rocks shifted and wobbled beneath my feet as the robust current pushed against my legs, unsteadying me.
—Cheryl Strayed, Vogue, 17 July 2018
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsteady. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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