1
: lacking or denying rest : uneasy
a restless night
2
: continuously moving : unquiet
the restless sea
3
: characterized by or manifesting unrest especially of mind
restless pacing
also
: changeful, discontented
was becoming restless and unhappy with his job
The audience was restless.
restlessly
adverb
restlessness
noun
Examples of restless in a Sentence
restless children who can't sit still
The audience was becoming restless.
He started to feel restless and discontent in his job.
Recent Examples on the Web
Faced with a skeptical Supreme Court and a restless voter base that cannot be placated by unfunded rebates that are unlikely to materialize anyway, the administration appears poised to let the air out of its trade war.
—
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
The actor has always had a restless talent, though.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 14 Dec. 2025
Released in what’s now the distant year of 2007, Superbad might be the last great teen movie, or at least the millennial generation’s entry into that Hughes-esque canon of beloved films that capture the restless giddiness of being on the cusp of adulthood.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Prenatal sleep problems such as short sleep, sleep apnea and restless sleep can lead to preterm births and low birth weight in newborns.
—Jenalee Doom, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restless
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Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025
The actor has always had a restless talent, though.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 14 Dec. 2025
Released in what’s now the distant year of 2007, Superbad might be the last great teen movie, or at least the millennial generation’s entry into that Hughes-esque canon of beloved films that capture the restless giddiness of being on the cusp of adulthood.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Prenatal sleep problems such as short sleep, sleep apnea and restless sleep can lead to preterm births and low birth weight in newborns.
—Jenalee Doom, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restless
Cite this Entry
“Restless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restless. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restless
adjective
rest·less
ˈrest-ləs 
1
: being without rest : giving no rest
a restless night
2
: always moving
the restless sea
3
: showing one to be uneasy
restless pacing back and forth
restlessly
adverb
restlessness
noun
Medical Definition
restless
adjective
rest·less
ˈrest-ləs
1
: deprived of rest or sleep
the patient was restless from pain
2
: providing no rest
a restless night
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