as in unsteadiness
the quality or state of not being firmly fixed in position
the instability of the bridge became tragically apparent when it suddenly collapsed
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Recent Examples of instability
Studies have shown that warmer air caused by carbon dioxide emissions is increasing instability in the jet stream and strengthening turbulence.
—
Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2025
The ambiguity surrounding Iran’s nuclear program will remain unsettling for its foes and for its Arab Gulf neighbors, which dread instability.
—Hasan T. Alhasan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2025
Dying frontal boundaries off the coast also can create areas of low pressure and instability in the atmosphere, which can lead to cyclone formation.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 1 Aug. 2025
Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and surrounding Pacific Rim regions continued to experience seismic instability, with dozens of aftershocks being reported on Saturday by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instability
Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2025
The ambiguity surrounding Iran’s nuclear program will remain unsettling for its foes and for its Arab Gulf neighbors, which dread instability.
—Hasan T. Alhasan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2025
Dying frontal boundaries off the coast also can create areas of low pressure and instability in the atmosphere, which can lead to cyclone formation.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 1 Aug. 2025
Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and surrounding Pacific Rim regions continued to experience seismic instability, with dozens of aftershocks being reported on Saturday by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instability
Noun
-
What keeps these series from coming off as crass is the genuine camaraderie that connects their characters and shelters them, to some extent, from the precariousness of their lives.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
22 May 2025
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The episode underscores the precariousness of elite status in Putin’s Russia—and the unpredictable consequences for those who lose the president’s trust.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Unfortunately, food and financial insecurity, as well as a lack of general awareness, can deprive some children of snack time, causing inequalities among households.—
Leslie D. Rose,
Parents,
4 Aug. 2025
-
This type of unsolicited commentary can sow self-doubt and insecurity.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instability. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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