1
as in unsteady
not being in or able to maintain a state of balance
the minute we put the books down on the unstable desk, the whole stack went crashing to the floor
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2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
financial investors don't like an unstable economy
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3
as in changing
not staying constant
unstable temperatures are not ideal storage conditions for wine
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as in instability
the quality or state of not being firmly fixed in position
if the tunnel had been properly inspected, the unstableness of the overhead concrete panels would have been discovered in time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unstable
Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Concerns were raised in recent weeks that Musk is spending too much time on DOGE and not enough on Tesla amid an unstable period for the company.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
These unstable molecules contain oxygen and can severely damage cellular components and even lead to cell death.
—Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 19 Apr. 2025
But the reality is that everyone feels the heat when life is unstable—even therapists.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unstable
Adjective
Roads and bridges buckled as the city lost power and water, with many newly homeless residents or people living in unstable buildings forced to live on the streets without access to sanitation as aftershocks continued to rock the region.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Concerns were raised in recent weeks that Musk is spending too much time on DOGE and not enough on Tesla amid an unstable period for the company.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
These unstable molecules contain oxygen and can severely damage cellular components and even lead to cell death.
—Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 19 Apr. 2025
But the reality is that everyone feels the heat when life is unstable—even therapists.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unstable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstable
Adjective
-
Something long and meandering like this: For the next four years, the United States will be an unpredictable, unsteady global superpower run by a fascist oligarchy, in which the people’s representatives cater to a madman’s whim.—
Eli Grober,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
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An unsteady job market has contributed to rising scrutiny around large corporations, also a driving theme of the season.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Over the past four years, SOFI's annual returns have been considerably more volatile than the S&P 500, with returns of 27% in 2021, -71% in 2022, 116% in 2023, and 55% in 2024.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Income tax is more volatile and susceptible to the ups and downs within the economy, Greller said.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Amid the economic instability and mass layoffs in the country, the American workforce is fed up with worrying on a daily basis about losing their jobs.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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With the current economic and global instability continuing to rock industries across the United States, the hospitality sector’s customer expectations have also evolved.—
Xandra Harbet,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Now a few months into his second term as president, peace talks between the two countries are looking precarious.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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Finding a job is always a challenge, especially in the current precarious economic climate.—
Iris Dorbian,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The source said Republicans view Powell as an important pillar of stability in the U.S. economy amid Trump’s unpredictable tariff war against foreign trading partners, including allies such as Canada, Japan, South Korean and Taiwan.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2025
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Spring temps can be unpredictable, so don’t forget to add on a pashmina-style shawl and some statement earrings.—
Jené Luciani Sena,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The two men had worked together for years, selling everything from colon cleanses to get-rich-quick advice, before pivoting to crypto with uneven results.—
Eric Lipton,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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An even newer device, an electronic screener or balance board, measures foot movements as the patient tries to balance themselves on an uneven surface with their eyes open, and then closed.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That the posing and posturing for the public continued even as the Pentagon descended into turmoil over his rocky leadership seemed to say something, too.—
Jonathan Swan,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Smith, standing by a table of unclaimed nametags (Brad, Brock, Craig, Frank, John, Justin, Orlando, Stan), conceded that the path to paradise had been rocky.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At the time that Keynes and Robinson were writing, the cost of beggar-thy-neighbor policies came mainly in the form of higher unemployment, as higher exports—unbalanced by higher imports—undermined manufacturers in trade deficit countries and forced them to lay off workers.—
Michael Pettis,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Apr. 2025
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With unsustainable low interest rates driving up housing valuations for years, the market has been unbalanced for 5 plus years now.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unstable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstable. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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