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 Two types of wearables are competing for the same restless shopper. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Set in 1988, this new installment follows a family who leaves Jakarta for Bandung in search of a fresh start, only to be terrorized by the restless spirit of a young girl and her doll, Ghawiah. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 Our expert Mark Knapp, in his review, called the Sleep A30 earbuds a worthwhile device for restless sleepers, thanks to their strong noise-cancelling tech. — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 Created in 1958, the ballet felt unmistakably New York in its sound, its street clothes, its restless young people, its particular brand of cool. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 2 Oct. 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
  • Giving team members insight into what is known, what remains unchanged and what may come next can help people navigate uneasy periods of uncertainty with greater confidence.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Experts say Chinese officials likely felt uneasy about that opening.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Super Micro Computer, the troubled hardware ally of Nvidia and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has finally hired a new head of finance.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Actor Ryan Eggold made an appearance reprising his role as Matt Riley, the troubled brother of Detective Vincent Riley, showing up in court and wanting justice for his brother’s death.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • For Daughtry, who was dispatched to work the crash by his editor that day, the assignment was one of the most disturbing of his career.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This disturbing contradiction suggests that different physical laws apply to the observer and the observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The opening-night depth chart remains unsettled, and Brown’s return will make the competition more complicated.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Chance of showers, thunderstorms increases Thursday Our weather pattern becomes more unsettled as the upper-level trough advances eastward.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettled
Adjective
  • The tax came up in a conversation between the two after negotiations between Zuckerberg and the committee appeared to grow tense.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In this tense political climate, Becker said, even straightforward election mistakes are magnified on social media and become the subject of conspiracy theories, making the job of local elections officials much more difficult.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of tense
Adjective
  • Pakistani security forces killed five militants in an intense shootout and freed 23 hostages in the country’s restive southwest, the military said Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Midterm elections are historically challenging for a president’s party as restive voters seek change.
    — Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of restive
Adjective
  • Since the incident, the flamingo has been doing all right physically but is more anxious and nervous when being evaluated, said Peachy’s veterinarian, Tiffany Moore, medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As the military-style helicopter hovered above them, attendees from the rural, predominantly Latino community, began to get nervous.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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