1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a year of unsteady economic growth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 unsteady
Deborah’s relationship — with Frank, with the series, with her own legacy — is a volatile, unsteady thing, where pride and resentment, gratitude and hunger, are always battling it out.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Change feels unsteady, and the reader will want to get to stable ground.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the moment this flawed, unsteady Heat team played its heart out.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Change feels unsteady, and the reader will want to get to stable ground.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the moment this flawed, unsteady Heat team played its heart out.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
-
In recent years, however, enforcement was sporadic, allowing vendors selling food, souvenirs and other goods to operate near Millennium Park.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
-
Many of Myanmar’s resource-rich areas, where most mining operations have been largely unregulated, are controlled by different armed militias engaged in sporadic fighting against the central government to seek greater autonomy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Mario Tama | Getty Images Global stock markets remain volatile amid uncertainty in the Middle East and a focus on artificial intelligence stocks.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
-
But beyond this picturesque scene, there is a volatile combination of brutal rebel violence and a burgeoning Ebola outbreak.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Because the chemicals and the tank were deemed unstable, responders couldn't immediately access all the areas of the facility to search for additional victims, officials said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
So we are used to operating in a very unstable context.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
While this novel is at times engaging and even includes one surprising turn, much is uneven – either predictable or requiring a huge suspension of disbelief.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
An InStyle tester, who has combination skin with uneven tone and fine lines, was impressed with the cream’s thick, cushiony texture, and experienced zero flaking when using it with tretinoin.—
Jenny Berg,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Details of the forum focused on the intermittent water supply affecting an overall population of nearly 10 million people were published Thursday by the official website Cubadebate.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
-
Timing and exact coverage remain less certain this far out, but intermittent rounds of showers and storms look likely Saturday through Monday.—
Nelly Carreño,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The number of parts made the behavior of each one unpredictable, although the whole was governed by rules.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
According to VinDynamics, the deployment demonstrated the platform’s ability to function reliably in unpredictable service environments while maintaining continuous interaction with people.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 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
Adjective
-
Despite the occasional presence of industry executives eager to share new product, the atmosphere is anything but corporate.—
Jayson Buford,
Robb Report,
4 June 2026
-
Our tester, who has combination skin with occasional eczema, noted that the silky, gel-cream texture felt lightweight, but the cream was still deeply moisturizing.—
Jenny Berg,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
