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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsteady
As professionals try to navigate the unsteady road, the know-how and expertise of film commissions will become even more valuable.
—
Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
The archive of material Habak shot over years offers an intimate and visceral experience of life on the ground – the unsteady ground shaken by constant aerial assaults.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
He's seen shirtless as the confrontation escalates, with both men appearing unsteady on their feet during the exchange.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
As a result, many Americans may lose benefits not because of an unwillingness to work, but because of complex rules and red tape, which are difficult to manage while juggling unsteady jobs, caregiving obligations or health issues.
—Jenn Finders, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
The archive of material Habak shot over years offers an intimate and visceral experience of life on the ground – the unsteady ground shaken by constant aerial assaults.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
He's seen shirtless as the confrontation escalates, with both men appearing unsteady on their feet during the exchange.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
As a result, many Americans may lose benefits not because of an unwillingness to work, but because of complex rules and red tape, which are difficult to manage while juggling unsteady jobs, caregiving obligations or health issues.
—Jenn Finders, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
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Did Curry and Kristaps Porzingis magically turn into Magic and Worthy in their sporadic handful of minutes together this month?—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Spears was released from her 13-year conservatorship in 2021 and has largely kept a low profile since then, outside of some sporadic social media activity.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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It's been an eventful first month on the job for Pat Lyons, the new athletic director at the University of Rhode Island, who takes the reins in Kingston during a volatile time in college sports, with the billions of dollars available in media rights turning the NCAA into a conduit for big business.—
Kathleen Hill,
The Providence Journal,
11 Apr. 2026
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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,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This progress addresses the requirement for high oxidation states, which typically makes material growth unstable under conditions that allow for superconductivity.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
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Her very reliable and efficient assistant Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) stands by her side but curries the jealous attention of unstable Ashley.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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However, boundaries have not been redrawn since the 1971 census, as successive governments delayed the process over concerns about uneven population growth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Inspired by director Daniel Blake Schwartz’s real-life experiences, this striking debut feature charts the uneven cycles of addiction and recovery among several interconnected lives in Chelsea, Massachusetts with grit and emotional clarity.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Team Pritzker lauds last year’s amendments to CEJA, which included a new surcharge on electric bills to support the construction of batteries that can store power from intermittent sources like wind and solar and deploy the juice when later needed.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Since their fourth album, 2013’s Tomorrow’s Harvest, intermittent signs of life have appeared in the form of seemingly random remixes, archival reissues, and an NTS DJ mix.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But home equity loan rates are fixed, which is an advantageous feature in today's economy, in which interest rate movements are unpredictable.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Social occasions might be unpredictable with cancellations or surprise invitations.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
14 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
Adjective
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Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Electric Bleu is French food caressed with California seasonality and the occasional pop of Aussie nostalgia.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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