1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of restiveness
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
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restiveness
Noun
-
Iran’s leaders have repeatedly threatened to intervene more forcefully to choke off oil supplies; regime change there could have a similar outcome, if the resulting internal turmoil disrupts production.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Her win itself was born from that turmoil.—
Nick El Hajj,
Des Moines Register,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As each skated and waited for their scores to post, the crowd tittered with nervous unease.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Iran used overwhelming force against the protesters to clear people out of the streets, but also to buy the government time by preventing any future waves of unrest, said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, a Washington think tank.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
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Officials in law enforcement have said the number of police applicants looking to join a police force never quite rebounded since unrest around the nation led to protests and demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s death in 2020.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The dueling anxieties have been brewing for months.—
Jeran Wittenstein,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Remember that meaning can vary widely from person to person—for example, a dog can mean safety and loyalty to one person or fear and anxiety to another.—
Lisa Wong Macabasco,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its stock has been under pressure because of worries that competitors powered by artificial intelligence technology could upend its industry and take away customers.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But the new study—along with previous research—reiterates that worries of weight gain with mango consumption aren’t substantiated.—
Lauren Manaker MS,
Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The tension between maintaining recognizable signatures and demonstrating evolution remains central to her strategy.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Sports are inherently fraught with tension, but some seem preordained to it more than others.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Too much carbon dioxide can also lead to a condition called hypercapnia, or too much CO2 in your bloodstream, which can become chronic and affect your lungs, brain, nerves and muscles, according to Cleveland Clinic.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Feb. 2026
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The prospect of conflict in Iran has stoked nerves about potential disruptions to the global oil supply and a corresponding surge in oil prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Dec. 2025
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His jumpiness in the pocket, decision-making and lack of deep passes are a cause for concern, potentially.—
Chase Gemes,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Restiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restiveness. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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