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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective unstable differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unstable are capricious, fickle, inconstant, and mercurial. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

When can capricious be used instead of unstable?

The synonyms capricious and unstable are sometimes interchangeable, but capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When would fickle be a good substitute for unstable?

The words fickle and unstable can be used in similar contexts, but fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

When is inconstant a more appropriate choice than unstable?

The words inconstant and unstable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When could mercurial be used to replace unstable?

Although the words mercurial and unstable have much in common, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

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 unstable The ecosystem remains unstable in spite of investments and the introduction of new tools. Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025 The office administers billions of dollars in grants to support low- and moderate-income people, including funding for affordable housing, homeless shelters and disaster recovery, raising the prospect that these forms of aid might one day be paid in an unstable currency. Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 2 Apr. 2025 Tesla is facing continued pressure both financially and culturally, and for many of its top competitors, its space in the car market looks unstable. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 This unstable dwelling, with its crumbling walls and lack of proper bedrooms for the children, comes to stand for a far more sinister lack of boundaries. Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unstable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unstable
Adjective
  • Over the years the two musicians would meet, notably once in 1981 for a special benefit concert in Central Park, but notoriously had an unsteady relationship.
    Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Now Raising Alarm in the US Meanwhile, business sentiment remains unsteady, with the National Federation of Independent Business' (NFIB) Uncertainty Index rising 4 points to 104 in February—its second-highest reading since the index's inception in 1973.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But her life is unexpectedly upended by the arrival of a new student in her class: her charming but volatile younger brother Merritt.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025
  • In volatile markets, that can be the difference between burning capital and building advantage.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump has placed himself in a precarious situation.
    Time, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Rodriguez wasn't the only G20 star to get into a precarious situation while making the movie.
    Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Fittingly, given the unpredictable nature of the campaign, who knows what the result or circumstances will be at Tottenham Hotspur on the day Hurzeler’s first season draws to a close?
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Zoom out: Trump's trade policy is unpredictable, with tariffs being set and changed constantly.
    Felix Salmon, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Milling disk grab ability Milling disks with rough, uneven edges around the milling holes work well for grabbing food during processing.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The bill's ambiguity could lead to uneven policies across the country, meaning some states and municipalities will enforce stricter document requirements than others.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After a rocky 2024 marred by a restructuring of its sales team and lower revenues per user, Dexcom’s stock lost about 37% of its value.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot,Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Hamilton has been having a rocky start to his first season with the red team.
    Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Months earlier, Charles Vallow had told police that his wife was threatening to kill him, describing her behavior as increasingly unbalanced.
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps even more than that, PSG — long dismissed and derided as a hopelessly unbalanced gaggle of individual superstars — have become a team, widely respected for the remarkable industriousness of their football and the humble, unshowy brilliance of their young players.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unstable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unstable. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unstable

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