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
Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
One outcome — perhaps, a five-point plan While Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others are actively pursuing diplomacy, Iran and Israel are not interested, and the United States appears baffled and unsteady.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 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
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
One outcome — perhaps, a five-point plan While Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others are actively pursuing diplomacy, Iran and Israel are not interested, and the United States appears baffled and unsteady.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteadiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteadiness
Noun
-
Nearly one in four Gen Zers has seriously considered or is actively pursuing a career in the trades, and 75% associate desk jobs with burnout and instability, recent survey data from SupplyHouse shows.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Buoyed by the election of a new leader in Hungary, Europe's top diplomats are meeting in Luxembourg to forge plans of action on multiple crises from the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian hybrid attacks, and economic instability as the war in Iran drives up energy prices worldwide.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After a sporadic and drawn-out campaign of vague teasers for a new album called Iceman, the rarely understated rapper unveiled a stack of frozen bricks at 81 Bond Street yesterday (April 20), promising that the release date is hidden inside.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There are also sporadic blooms throughout the summer months.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Flying is the company’s second Nova-C lander named Athena featuring NASA’s PRIME-1 drill, to land a drill and mass spectrometer near the south pole of the moon in order to demonstrate the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and measure the volatile content of subsurface samples.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
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The story centers on a young couple (Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny) whose lives become entangled with their volatile boss and his wife (Isaac and Carey Mulligan) after witnessing a disturbing incident at an elite country club.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Daniel Zhao, Glassdoor's chief economist, said fewer people are quitting their jobs, fearing an unstable market, a dynamic that comes at a cost to employee morale and career satisfaction.—
Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The serac between base camp and Camp One is unstable and is risky for climbers, said Himal Gautam of Nepal's Department of Mountaineering.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Luxury players are showing an uneven recovery following a boom that ended in 2022.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The uneven access across states can exacerbate disparities.—
Moriah Balingit,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Burke spoke only to consent to intermittent interruptions of his preliminary hearing, allowing the court to address other pending matters.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
-
On the menu are cryotherapy chambers, red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen sessions, intermittent hypoxic training, and vacuum therapy—all geared towards cellular recovery and holistic well-being.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His practice hinges on improvisation, resulting in blunt, expressive, and unpredictable work.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Baby Reindeer was hardly a laugh riot, but mortifying humor is still humor and, with episodic running times in the 30-minute range, the show had a charging, unpredictable momentum.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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 26 Apr. 2026.
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