1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a year of unsteady economic growth
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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
Interesting pair of characters, interesting binary moment for the nation: cranky old McCain the war hero, unpredictable, unsteady perhaps, rumbling around the country on the Straight Talk Express (his bus)—and handsome young Obama, the anointed, the noble profile with his arena-swelling cadences.
—
James Parker, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2024
And will assuredly remain so, barring a highly unexpected climb up the standings from a team that has been unsteady all season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
While working a route in Aurora’s 9th Ward, Lockhart noticed an elderly man out walking his dog who was unsteady, ultimately falling and injuring his head.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
As an aerodynamics engineer specializing in aeroelastic and unsteady flows, Atlee provided key technical contributions to the original F-16 design that helped define the way that jet looks and flies.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
James Parker, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2024
And will assuredly remain so, barring a highly unexpected climb up the standings from a team that has been unsteady all season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
While working a route in Aurora’s 9th Ward, Lockhart noticed an elderly man out walking his dog who was unsteady, ultimately falling and injuring his head.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
As an aerodynamics engineer specializing in aeroelastic and unsteady flows, Atlee provided key technical contributions to the original F-16 design that helped define the way that jet looks and flies.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
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Peoples Gas has been onsite multiple times over the winter and identified the boiler exhaust flue as a potential source of the sporadic smell, district officials said.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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Local media did sporadic stories about the local flooding, but there were endless reports about Western NC, including from national news outlets.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 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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Sudan has faced years of chaos and war Sudan, a nation in northeastern Africa, has been unstable since a popular uprising forced the removal of longtime autocratic President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir in 2019.—
Samy Magdy and Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
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Vietnam already has a shortage of labor, and the situation in Bangladesh is unstable at this time.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
20 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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Roughly 164 were returned to non-pay intermittent status, while the rest were returned to paid administrative leave.—
Ashley Murray,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Mar. 2025
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The 2025 season opener in Australia was an intense race for all F1 teams considering the intermittent rainfall that led them to shift tire strategies according to the varying conditions.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Sometimes, as today’s business leaders are well aware, the future is unpredictable, and its demands are unprecedented.—
Anar Mammadov,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
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March Madness will always be unpredictable—but that doesn't mean your bracket has to be.—
Kilty Cleary,
Newsweek,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Winds will increase during the afternoon hours, with occasional gusts to around 15 to 20 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2025
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Tom Penn’s empathic drumming and Gabriela García’s occasional ethereal singing provide the soundtrack of French Quarter fear and self-loathing, while Medeleine Girling’s set design consists simply of a wood platform roughly 25 by 25 feet across laying on top of cinderblocks.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
12 Mar. 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
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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