: 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
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
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
Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
It’s maintained an idiosyncratic spirit all along, combining references from across rock history—a Bob Dylan harmonica line here, a Cars synth line there—with lyrics that unspool in unsteady, careening cadences.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
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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
Adjective
The camera swirls around the scene, unsteady and swift.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
It’s maintained an idiosyncratic spirit all along, combining references from across rock history—a Bob Dylan harmonica line here, a Cars synth line there—with lyrics that unspool in unsteady, careening cadences.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsteady. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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