as in instability
the quality or state of not being firmly fixed in position
blamed the poor quality of the video on the tripod's unsteadiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a year of unsteady economic growth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
in the days of sailing ships, mariners were constantly at the mercy of unsteady winds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unstable
not being in or able to maintain a state of balance
cautiously climbed up the unsteady ladder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in uneven
not staying constant
unsteady business conditions that rattled investors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsteadiness
Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Can’t slam anyone for that, and the unsteadiness was real and the moment was more poignant because of it.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Bass, who was out of the country when the fire broke out, was unsteady in her early public appearances and, since then, has faced sharp criticism over the pace of the rebuilding.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteadiness
Noun
Those dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled following Dion's 2022 diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that includes rigidity and stiffness of certain areas of the body, causing unsteadiness, slower movements and difficulties walking.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Can’t slam anyone for that, and the unsteadiness was real and the moment was more poignant because of it.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Szépvölgyi mocked the prime minister, who is 62, for seeming unsteady when boos erupted at one of his recent rallies.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Bass, who was out of the country when the fire broke out, was unsteady in her early public appearances and, since then, has faced sharp criticism over the pace of the rebuilding.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteadiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteadiness
Noun
-
Critics say the leadership upheaval signals unusual instability and raises concerns about whether agencies have sufficient scientific expertise to respond effectively to public health emergencies.—
Ali Swenson,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
From one perspective central banks are seen as political institutions that are often the source of macroeconomic instability; from another, the rule followed by the central bank is a fundamental parameter of the economy just like the size of the labor force or the available production technology.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
After being deported from Sweden and moving to Bangkok in 2015, Drain Gang’s Thaiboy Digital has leaned harder into the cult rap crew’s love for rave electronics than any other member, chasing highs in lucid dreams to compensate for sporadic meetups with the boys.—
Nathan Evans,
Pitchfork,
12 May 2026
-
Residents say efforts to remove the plant have largely been limited to small-scale manual clearing by fishermen and sporadic pilot efforts by authorities, with no effective large-scale solution in place.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Everything is imperfect and volatile.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
Gas and oil prices have been rising but volatile since the conflict began.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Why Sorting Laundry Was Traditionally Important Before advances in fabric manufacturing, many dyes were unstable.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
While highly energetic, these ions are unstable.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
These Italian suede sneakers feature a durable gum sole that’s perfect for a long day of walking without tripping over cobblestones or uneven pavement.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
-
Elsewhere, shopping was uneven.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
According to Costigan and McIntyre, one 4-hour USB-charge should be good for seven to eight hours of runtime in high-intensity intermittent mode, or approximately 14 hours in the lowest-intensity steady output mode.—
Ben Coxworth
May 15,
New Atlas,
15 May 2026
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But 2026 has marked a new nadir for one of the world’s oldest civilizations, with the government’s massacre of anti-regime protestors in January and widespread destruction from the United States’ and Israel’s intermittent war.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Intercepting Mach 5 hypersonic weapons in space Hypersonic weapons, traveling at speeds of Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and above with unpredictable maneuvers, pose significant challenges to traditional missile defenses.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
-
Prices are subject to rapid, unpredictable changes due to factors like, but not limited to, supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
In some studies, gloves not changed between tasks had higher bacterial counts and could transfer germs just as easily as ungloved hands, underscoring the need for frequent changing and proper hand hygiene.—
Evan Moore
December 19,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsteadiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteadiness. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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