unsettled 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈse-tᵊld How to pronounce unsettled (audio)
Definition of unsettlednext
1
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly we've been having a lot of unsettled weather lately

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2
as in unpaid
not yet paid I keep unsettled bills next to the checkbook

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pending
not yet settled or decided we can't move on as long as this important question remains unsettled

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4
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something I'm still unsettled about whether I should take that job

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unsettled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of unsettle
as in disturbed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers

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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 unsettled
Adjective
And Wednesday afternoon will stay unsettled at 75%, with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the upper-70s. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026 The unsettled first act, full of false starts, feels like an early draft of the play. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
Scorpio October 23 – November 21 A quiet realization could explain why something at home has felt unsettled. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026 Only center is unsettled, with John Michael Schmitz playing n the final year of his contract. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettled
  1. volatile
  2. unpaid
  3. pending
  4. unsure
  5. disturbed
  6. unpredictable
  7. outstanding
  8. unresolved
Adjective
  • The researchers focused on volatile elements such as sodium, zinc and potassium, which evaporate easily at high temperatures.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Gonzales pointed to the volatile state budget’s dependence on tax revenue from wealthy Californians, some of whom have proactively moved out of the state because of the proposal.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of volatile
Adjective
  • Bass was in Chicago when the fire broke out, and after it was extinguished, The Times reported that one of Bass’ top advisors was working as a crisis communications consultant for Lineage while still serving as an unpaid advisor to the mayor.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Attorney calls it a ‘botched’ investigation Evans was placed on unpaid leave during the criminal case.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpaid
Adjective
  • Those tax charges, involving Rivera’s 2017 and 2018 returns, remain pending.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Public records requests the Trib filed with DCF for this article remain pending.
    — Sharmila Venkatasubban, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of pending
Adjective
  • Tony Hanna, a parent of a Black Bob Elementary School student, said during public comments Thursday night that parents were unsure whether the six schools were the right choice.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Patriot batteries are being deployed, but communities are still developing civil-defense plans, leaving some residents unsure where to take shelter.
    — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsure
Verb
  • People, wildlife and domestic animals get valley fever when the soil in these burrows is disturbed, by a dog digging, a kick of the boot, a shovel, construction equipment, wind or wildfire.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Clean Regularly Spiders don’t like to be disturbed, so an unused area of your porch is likely to be attractive real estate.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Conflict in mining regions, disputed licenses, slow permitting, and unpredictable enforcement have long deterred Western investors, while Chinese operators have been better able to absorb those risks.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Long Tiddie Short Story is unmistakably her — honest, unpredictable and incredibly funny.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpredictable
Adjective
  • Conrad has done an outstanding job of pulling together a team of local workers at all levels of the business.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Livingston is now an outstanding player on Telfair County’s girls basketball team, which went 20-8 last season.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of outstanding
Adjective
  • There are currently 486 unresolved issues when combining all 10 bargaining groups — one for each bargaining unit and a master that applies to each unit — and nearly 248 tentative agreements.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Without conflicting appellate decisions, the DOJ would lack a traditional ground for Supreme Court review, though the justices can also hear sufficiently important unresolved federal questions.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unresolved

Browse Nearby Words

unsettle
unsettled
unsettledness
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Cite this Entry

“Unsettled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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