unsteady

adjective

Definition of unsteadynext
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 Oil prices have been unsteady as hopes rise and fade that the United States and Iran can reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 Part of bringing those plays to life for a cornerback is forcing throws his way as well as unsteady connections. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 9 June 2026 Fledglings can look unsteady or weak, but the parents are nearby for protection. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026 Play Me is third in a series of startling collaborations with producer Justin Raisen, making an unsteady blend of hip-hop textures and the noisy avant-garde. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
  1. sporadic
  2. volatile
  3. unstable
  4. uneven
  5. intermittent
  6. unpredictable
  7. changing
  8. occasional
Adjective
  • States routinely review the accuracy of their voter rolls and sporadic cases of noncitizen voting are investigated and prosecuted.
    — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • His impact last season was more sporadic than steady, however, which is not uncommon for a first-year starter learning on the fly.
    — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • Stocks pulled back on Friday , capping off another volatile week.
    — Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • That’s because wildfire smoke contains gases like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, which react in the sun and heat to create ground-level ozone.
    — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of volatile
Adjective
  • In the first half of the album, Dean explores unstable characters—bearing some resemblance, perhaps, to their indie-sleaze peers—with both second-hand embarrassment and fascination.
    — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
  • Rhaenyra, queen of the Blacks, seizes the Iron Throne in King’s Landing with the support of Alicent, who has simply had enough of her unstable and terrible sons.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
Definition of unstable
Adjective
  • The uneven overall performance can be traced back — first and foremost — to a leaky defense.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
  • The uneven elevation of Spain’s mountainous regions could obstruct viewing the eclipse, as could a line of trees or a smattering of buildings.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
Definition of uneven
Adjective
  • Solar energy is naturally intermittent, meaning production peaks in the middle of the day when electricity demand is often relatively low, only to drop off in the evening just as families return home and usage spikes.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
  • At the time, logic dictated the culprit to be malaria because the couple had shown symptoms of the illness, including a telltale intermittent fever.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • The ensemble drama traces the unpredictable shape of grief and family dynamics, aiming for an emotionally candid portrait of loss and the ties that hold communities together.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • In an increasingly unpredictable business environment, executives seek control over their biology through peptides, promising faster recovery and improved performance.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of unpredictable
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
Definition of changing
Adjective
  • Lean beef burgers, pulled chicken and the occasional hot dog also fit the plan.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Under rural Spanish skies, particularly in dark-sky regions away from towns and cities, observers could see 30 to 50 meteors per hour, with occasional bursts producing even more.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of occasional

Browse Nearby Words

unsteadiness
unsteady
unsterile
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on unsteady

Nglish: Translation of unsteady for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All