1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a year of unsteady economic growth
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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
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3
as in unstable
not being in or able to maintain a state of balance
cautiously climbed up the unsteady ladder
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4
as in uneven
not staying constant
unsteady business conditions that rattled investors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsteady
But the travel industry is unsteady and my company went under in the first recession, so that was that.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
That scandal has shaken an already unsteady Prime Minister Keir Starmer, despite Starmer’s having never so much as encountered Epstein himself.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
The only problem is the Heat are a commendable but unsteady evangelist for trying to win every night out.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The most vulnerable consumers would include those who have unsteady hours at work, paychecks that vary significantly week to week, and often only are able to make the minimum monthly payments.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
That scandal has shaken an already unsteady Prime Minister Keir Starmer, despite Starmer’s having never so much as encountered Epstein himself.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
The only problem is the Heat are a commendable but unsteady evangelist for trying to win every night out.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The most vulnerable consumers would include those who have unsteady hours at work, paychecks that vary significantly week to week, and often only are able to make the minimum monthly payments.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
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But Fontecchio has been in and out of the rotation, and Johnson has played only sporadic minutes this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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Kilauea is among the world’s most active volcanoes, with sporadic flare-ups since December 2024.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Ultraviolet light from its host star triggers the creation of sulfur dioxide in the upper atmosphere, and a massive sub-surface magma ocean acts as a buffer, storing and releasing volatile gases over billions of years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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The volatile crude oil prices causing retail gasoline prices to swing up sharply have had the same effect on the price of jet fuel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is why the price may soon surpass a new record, even with other market conditions unstable.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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This novel explores the unique bond that siblings in unstable families can form, and is especially shrewd on how sisters define themselves in negative space.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The National Park Service sees planting as insurance against the uneven distribution and high mortality of the naturally sprouting trees.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Davis’ successor, Steve Alford, failed to replicate the success of Davis’ goodbye season during his uneven eight-year run in Iowa City.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some district schools and offices experienced intermittent power outages throughout the day, including Marriott's Ridge High School, which lost power for about 30 minutes during the school day.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The latest to be published looks at whether intermittent fasting — a practice of limiting eating to only a few hours each day — is an effective way to lose weight.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Strengthening the layers Epoch 2 solves the problem of unpredictable missile paths by using high-tech heat sensors and laser communication.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
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Revenue hinges on capital gains from investments, bonuses to executives and windfalls from new stock offerings, all of which are grossly unpredictable.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 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
Adjective
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This is in contrast to assurances from local officials that people are safe and life can carry on as normal — albeit with occasional missile alerts and widespread school closures.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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This tournament works here because this city does not treat international baseball as an occasional event.—
Noah Gulley,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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