UNREST Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

unrest

noun

ˌən-ˈrest

Definition of unrest

as in turmoil

a disturbed or uneasy state unrest gripped the city as the people nervously awaited the expected bombardment his stomach unrest was just a sign of stage fright

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 unrest But Wall Street’s risk-taking traders are also expected to have done well in the period as geopolitical unrest including the Iran war stoked volatility across asset classes. — Hugh Son,laya Neelakandan,leslie Picker,ritika Shah, CNBC, 14 July 2026 Spurred by the 2014 police shooting and ensuing unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, police forces across the country have adopted and mandated the use of body cameras, a move law enforcement experts say helps ensure safe and accountable policing. — Holmes Lybrand, CNN Money, 14 July 2026 Xenophobic unrest in South Africa has become a painful cost of doing business, executives warned, signalling that companies are bracing for prolonged instability in a country eager to draw fresh investment. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 10 July 2026 As the train pulls into Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital and a hotbed of the 2019 unrest, Abdul Rasheed Mir is waiting for a local train to his hometown of Qazigund. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unrest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrest

turmoil

Noun

The weaker economic data is a sign that sluggish consumption at home is outweighing recent strength in Chinese exports, and the nation is not immune from the economic turmoil caused by the war in Iran.

— Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Gold is a safe-haven asset that investors gravitate toward when economic and political turmoil erupts, sending waves through the markets.

— Liz Knueven, CNBC, 14 July 2026