as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
I'm usually ill at ease when addressing a large crowd of people
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ill at ease
In her mind, the community in her fictional story should be one of privilege, a circumstance in which Ruth, who grew up in a working-class Yiddish family, could initially feel ill at ease.
—
Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
The young man may be introverted or otherwise socially ill at ease.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 29 May 2025
In addition to making people feel ill at ease and exacerbating respiratory illnesses, the wind, combined with dry conditions, has elevated the fire risk across Texas.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill at ease
Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
The young man may be introverted or otherwise socially ill at ease.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 29 May 2025
In addition to making people feel ill at ease and exacerbating respiratory illnesses, the wind, combined with dry conditions, has elevated the fire risk across Texas.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill at ease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill at ease
Adjective
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The Knicks have their backup center on a regimented resting plan, and because of that, people within the team don’t seem worried about the drop-off in Robinson’s defensive output thus far.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Sam the toucan has been living in Las Vegas since November, much to the concern of bird experts and enthusiasts who were worried about the exotic bird's health and his ability to survive long-term in a city with drastic weather changes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Pirates, making their best effort at an upset, went up seven with less than eight minutes to play before UConn’s captain made a pair of 3-point shots to evaporate the deficit.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
28 Feb. 2026
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Lots of people were upset that Fraschilla won’t be on the broadcast, but many KU supporters applauded the move.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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By Phillip Reese | KFF Health News After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.—
KFF Health News,
Oc Register,
23 Feb. 2026
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After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, chia, and flax are rich in magnesium and omega-3s, helping to support nervous-system and hormonal balance.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
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And to be perfectly fair, nervous gratuitous laughter at stupid jokes is not unknown among anyone, including the press corps.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Some foreign papers pointed out Jackie’s history of troubled pregnancies and caesarean births.—
Steven Levingston,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
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Blue Owl is a major direct lender to the software sector, and Saba’s intervention comes amid growing scrutiny over broader risks in private credit , and the sector’s links to the troubled software space.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That has trading partners uneasy.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Now, marquee names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo have gotten into the game, creating an uneasy juxtaposition as other players have bemoaned the effects of gambling and verbal assault from fans.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill at ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill%20at%20ease. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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