restless

adjective

ˈrest-ləs How to pronounce restless (audio)
Definition of restlessnext
1
as in uneasy
lacking or denying rest the worried mother spent a restless night, tossing and turning in bed for hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in anxious
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the figure skater was visibly restless as she waited for her scores to be posted

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 restless Joy added that alcohol can worsen dehydration, and excessive caffeine can leave you restless. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2026 John Heminger, a photographer with a long face and restless energy, asked me. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Sacramento was crawling Saturday as crowds packed Bugtopia, winding between tables and clustering around displays with the restless motion of a human-sized ant colony. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Also in that courtroom that first day is his brother Jack (Noah Centineo), a more visibly restless and outgoing soul compared to Cody’s protective reticence. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for restless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restless
  1. uneasy
  2. anxious
  3. troubled
  4. disturbing
  5. unsettled
  6. tense
  7. restive
  8. nervous
Adjective
  • Security will remain in place at the schools, officials said, and counselors will be available for students who feel uneasy about attending classes.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Super teams share prompts openly, coached by leaders who use the tools themselves, which leaves them markedly less anxious about AI displacing their jobs.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Unmasking ‘Criminal’ The FBI became aware of Spitze’s online crimes through his troubled home life and desire for fame, according to a DOJ sentencing memo to the court.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Hayden Panettiere's troubled relationship with on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson had one final, unexpected chapter that is still unfolding.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • Last awards season, the gossip around town, salacious and disturbing in equal measure, was that hotel suites all over Hollywood were populated by tailors taking in gowns coming straight off the runway.
    — Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The disturbing situation came to light after a tree fell on the home during a storm.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Another round of unsettled weather is possible Friday into Saturday.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • At its core, the competition remains unsettled largely because neither player has convincingly outplayed the other and won the job.
    — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsettled
Adjective
  • One day, Abdeen remembered, there was a tense discussion in the house.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In the footage, Teng and Perlmutter get into a tense debate about the ethics.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of tense
Adjective
  • Even as details are ironed out, the law positions this NATO member to play a stabilizing role in a restive region.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2026
  • However, in September 2025, Nepal’s restive Gen Z population shocked the world (and the country’s gerontocracy) by taking to the streets to demand change.
    — Vasuki Shastry, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of restive
Adjective
  • Until Bezos, or any of his new partners, speak publicly, the conversation about what comes next will be nervous.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In a nervous market full of geopolitical tension, IPOs have attracted a lot of investor attention, with AI darlings Anthropic and OpenAI preparing for their own debuts.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of nervous

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restiveness
restless
restlessness
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Cite this Entry

“Restless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restless. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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