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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Ross was unsteady on his feet with his pants down around his thighs, turning and walking away from the officers’ position, according to the affidavit.
—
Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
At its heart, USA Hockey’s mission is to develop gold medal winners, a process that starts when boys and girls are taking their first unsteady strides on ice.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Jan. 2025
Her absence, combined with an unsteady early performance and the unprecedented attack from her fire chief, have only intensified her vulnerabilities.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
Retailers have been forced to work harder to win customer dollars, and demand has been unsteady as consumers think twice before buying things that may be wants rather than needs.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unsteady 
Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
At its heart, USA Hockey’s mission is to develop gold medal winners, a process that starts when boys and girls are taking their first unsteady strides on ice.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Jan. 2025
Her absence, combined with an unsteady early performance and the unprecedented attack from her fire chief, have only intensified her vulnerabilities.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
Retailers have been forced to work harder to win customer dollars, and demand has been unsteady as consumers think twice before buying things that may be wants rather than needs.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
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FRBs are sporadic, intense flashes of radio wave energy that can be brighter than entire galaxies.—
John Loeffler,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Broader and border disputes Not only have different interest groups and political actors used maps of the region to put forth competing geopolitical claims, but maps have also played a central role in sporadic efforts to establish peace in the region.—
Christine Leuenberger,
The Conversation,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The film opens on one such unexplained conflict, setting the tone for the volatile, irregular behavior that ensues.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2025
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The pilot follows an offbeat Fresno diner where an ex-party girl, a volatile chef, and an oddball busboy contend with ghost pirates, volcanoes, and the minor inconvenience of dying.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Some predict that if economic and political conditions remain unstable, gold could continue to rise.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
1 Feb. 2025
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One possibility is that unstable cholesterol levels could contribute to damage in blood vessels that supply the brain.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Avoid the uneven, unpaved roads on more untouched stretches of the island by skirting around the shores, especially to destinations like Secret Beach.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Feb. 2025
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Rainfall totals this winter have been even more uneven.—
Paul Rogers,
The Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In an effort to onboard users, Tubi was running a free livestream for the championship game, —which ended in a victory for the Eagles—but things didn’t exactly go swimmingly, with multiple users reporting intermittent buffering issues and freezes.—
Dimitar 'Mix' Mihov,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2025
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However, intermittent fasting comes with major potential health risks for people with conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And with President Donald Trump's tariff threats highlighting the risk of that dependence, the success of the $24 billion Trans Mountain expansion is stoking Canada's desire to further decouple from its unpredictable neighbor -- and play a larger role in global oil markets.—
Robert Tuttle Bloomberg News (WPNS),
arkansasonline.com,
9 Feb. 2025
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But here’s what the L.A. fires have taught us: No plan survives its first encounter with an unpredictable reality.—
Josh Klein,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Fortunately, President Donald Trump recognizes that pairing a big stick with an occasional carrot can shape adversaries’ behavior more effectively than continual confrontation.—
Reid Smith,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Feb. 2025
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Emma has been some fabulous version of blonde for quite some time now, interrupting her fair-haired streak with the occasional brunette detour.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.—
Jordan Kisner Jack Davison,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2022
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Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Jan. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near unsteady
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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