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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective unstable differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unstable are capricious, fickle, inconstant, and mercurial. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

When can capricious be used instead of unstable?

The synonyms capricious and unstable are sometimes interchangeable, but capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When would fickle be a good substitute for unstable?

The words fickle and unstable can be used in similar contexts, but fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

When is inconstant a more appropriate choice than unstable?

The words inconstant and unstable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When could mercurial be used to replace unstable?

Although the words mercurial and unstable have much in common, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

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 unstable Rigid robots are prone to damage in unstable, cramped environments and are expensive to repair. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025 Remember: Antioxidants can slow aging and prevent skin damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals. Danielle Jackson, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2025 Polyphenols neutralize unstable, harmful molecules (free radicals) in the body that contribute to inflammation and cell damage. Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2025 The twinkling effect is caused by the unstable state of the air through which a star's light must pass to reach our eyes. Joe Rao, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unstable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstable
Adjective
  • Not only that, but he was being fed an unsteady diet of cockroaches.
    Charlie Mason, TVLine, 4 May 2025
  • His unsteady performance has left markets lurching from one crisis to another, and his contempt for tradition continues to rattle both Washington institutionalists and Wall Street investors.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of the problems are caused by a volatile economic landscape.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • Indian authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from villages near the volatile frontier.
    Rajesh Roy, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Silkwood In the early 1980s, Cher was in a precarious place in her career.
    Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 20 May 2025
  • Honeybee colonies in the U.S. have occupied a precarious position for nearly two decades.
    Joanna Thompson, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Outlaw Music Festival touched down Thursday night on the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California, and Bob Dylan once again delivered a wildly unpredictable set that stunned even his most hardcore fans.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2025
  • Another plus: The votes were completely unpredictable from week to week, leading to some truly crazy Tribals.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • John’s piano and vocals, thankfully, were front and center, and did not suffer from uneven mixing.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
  • This can be seen when the gap between the doors is too small, too large, or uneven.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • As the tension builds, Hunter pushes his client to consider cutting ties with unnecessary people on his payroll, even throwing in a mention of LeBron James, with whom Smith has famously had a rocky relationship in the past.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 9 May 2025
  • The Trump-Bush family relationship has at times been rocky, featuring public swipes at one another and a concerted distancing from Trump and MAGA by the Bushes.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • There’s a really unbalanced schedule as well, with some playing just two matches while Columbus plays six.
    Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The sheer ease of Jacobs-Jenkins’s writing drives the headlong rush of the first act, but in the unbalanced second half his technique wavers.
    Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unstable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstable. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unstable

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