RESTIVENESS Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

restiveness

noun

Definition of restiveness

as in turmoil

a disturbed or uneasy state the nighttime tornado warnings were the likely source of the restiveness that could be felt all over town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unease

a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements I sensed that his restiveness at breakfast probably had something to do with the big presentation he would be making at the sales conference

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of restiveness Even from the start, flickers of restiveness appear. — Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 20 May 2026 Now as then, insecurity at Nigerian schools in the north is occurring in the context of a broad rash of violence across the country, from farmer-herder conflicts in the east and central regions, armed banditry attacks in the northwest, and youth restiveness in the south. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for restiveness

Noun

In the ensuing political turmoil, health workers went on strike, vaccine orders were delayed and follow-up vaccinations that usually accompany routine programs were disrupted.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Nationwide protests over the high cost of living roiled France on Saturday, adding to turmoil over public spending and debt ahead of a critical vote in the National Assembly.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of turmoil

Noun

The unrest culminated in rioting and looting over the weekend, with officials estimating that the damages could be worth hundreds of millions of euros.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
France has had two consecutive quiet nights since the weekend’s unrest.

— Samuel Petrequin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unrest

Noun

Research has also found that across generational groups, greater user tendency to engage in social comparison, together with greater maladaptive ways of coping with emotions, is associated with more symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression.

— Ashwini Nadkarni, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
The market for profiting off male body anxiety is nothing new.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxiety

Noun

Melanie Lawrence, a 68-year-old independent, worries about wells going dry in her area near Willcox, where the groundwater grew so depleted that the land started to crack.

— Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
In an interview earlier this fall with NPR, Los Angeles County's top voting official, Dean Logan, alluded to those worries.

— Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

Her remarks angered China and led to tensions that have spilled over into the economy.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
But the precedent of past legal disputes and rising tension between the President and Reyes leave some experts wondering if this project will advance.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of tension

Noun

Where most body parts can recover from trauma to some degree, damage to our nerves isn’t granted the same latitude.

— Mike McRae October 21, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Steven Huefner, deputy director of the Election Law Program at Ohio State University, says poll chaplains might be able to calm the frayed nerves of a voting public that is constantly exposed to divisive rhetoric and news about political violence.

— Deepa Bharath, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of nerves

Noun

Market jumpiness can serve as a good moment for those nearing the end of their career to make sure their nest egg is prepared for a downturn, Benz said.

— Annie Nova,Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.

— Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025

Definition of jumpiness

Browse Nearby Words

restive

restiveness

restless

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“Restiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restiveness. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of restiveness

noun

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