1
as in unsteady
not being in or able to maintain a state of balance
the minute we put the books down on the unstable desk, the whole stack went crashing to the floor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
financial investors don't like an unstable economy
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3
as in changing
not staying constant
unstable temperatures are not ideal storage conditions for wine
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unstable
The free flow of traffic becomes unstable as the density of cars increases on a highway.
—
Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2025
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage DNA and cellular function and lead to cell death throughout the body, including the testes and sperm.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
Countries like Canada, Portugal, and Australia offer alternative investor visa programs with clear, consistent rules, which would be made more attractive if the U.S. appears unpredictable or politically unstable.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Its secret to staying afloat in an unstable industry in the ever-evolving city of Raleigh is willingness to lean into change.
—Lucille Sherman, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unstable
Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2025
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage DNA and cellular function and lead to cell death throughout the body, including the testes and sperm.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
Countries like Canada, Portugal, and Australia offer alternative investor visa programs with clear, consistent rules, which would be made more attractive if the U.S. appears unpredictable or politically unstable.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Its secret to staying afloat in an unstable industry in the ever-evolving city of Raleigh is willingness to lean into change.
—Lucille Sherman, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unstable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstable
Adjective
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His unsteady grip on reality means his decisions are guided by insecurity and ego, not the nation’s interests.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
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Even with that, the rest of the house poses an ongoing danger with anyone unsteady on one’s feet.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His masculinity, though less volatile, is as stunted as Stanley’s.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
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Against this volatile backdrop, CNBC Pro screened for S & P 500 companies whose shares have quickly been losing steam.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At the same time, the resumption of hostilities in Syria could change everything, and the Russian military could suddenly find itself in a precarious and vulnerable position.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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As a woman traveling alone, who is also four months pregnant, Alex quickly finds herself in one of the most precarious positions an immigrant seeking to be accepted into the U.S. could find themselves in during this time period in America’s history.—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And then there’s the appeals process itself, which remains one of the most unpredictable spectacles in the sport.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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Fires are unpredictable, dangerous, and fast-moving, and every second counts.—
Andrew Ansbro,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The main story is very strangely uneven, the routes and caves are often straight pathways with little in them, and none of it is really difficult at all.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
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The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic – from devastation, to optimism for eradication, to persistent, uneven spread of disease – may seem unprecedented.—
Powel H. Kazanjian,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Asteroids are small rocky masses left over from the formation of the solar system around 4.6 billion years ago.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
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China’s far distance ahead of the U.S. in shipbuilding capabilities along with the countries’ rocky trade relationship have provided the driving subtext throughout the probe, which was spurred on by a petition from five labor unions.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The attorney general asserts that the partnership carries a lack of justification in the public interest, is economically unbalanced toward Panama and affects competition.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2025
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Although he was paired with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the team was horrendously unbalanced and had big problems when their star players didn’t track back.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unstable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstable. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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