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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsteady
But in the moment this flawed, unsteady Heat team played its heart out.
—
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Szépvölgyi mocked the prime minister, who is 62, for seeming unsteady when boos erupted at one of his recent rallies.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Bass, who was out of the country when the fire broke out, was unsteady in her early public appearances and, since then, has faced sharp criticism over the pace of the rebuilding.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
One outcome — perhaps, a five-point plan While Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others are actively pursuing diplomacy, Iran and Israel are not interested, and the United States appears baffled and unsteady.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Szépvölgyi mocked the prime minister, who is 62, for seeming unsteady when boos erupted at one of his recent rallies.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Bass, who was out of the country when the fire broke out, was unsteady in her early public appearances and, since then, has faced sharp criticism over the pace of the rebuilding.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
One outcome — perhaps, a five-point plan While Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others are actively pursuing diplomacy, Iran and Israel are not interested, and the United States appears baffled and unsteady.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
-
His effectiveness, though, has been sporadic.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
Your inbox, texts or daily plans could get busy fast, and one sporadic exchange might shift your perspective.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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Days after mass evacuations were ordered in Orange County, the next few hours could be crucial in dealing with a volatile chemical tank at a Garden Grove aerospace company that has threatened to either explode or cause a major spill.—
Deborah Netburn,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
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Cultivating this deliberate leadership quality is essential for career progression and resilience in volatile times.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
Because the chemicals and the tank were deemed unstable, responders couldn't immediately access all the areas of the facility to search for additional victims, officials said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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So we are used to operating in a very unstable context.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Drafty rooms, open windows, ceiling fans, and uneven surfaces can disrupt the flame, causing uneven melting, excessive soot, or wax that burns faster on one side than the other.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
-
This noncomodegenic and fragrance-free serum foundation helps smooth redness and uneven skin texture.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Details of the forum focused on the intermittent water supply affecting an overall population of nearly 10 million people were published Thursday by the official website Cubadebate.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
-
Timing and exact coverage remain less certain this far out, but intermittent rounds of showers and storms look likely Saturday through Monday.—
Nelly Carreño,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Approval timelines were unpredictable, administrative requirements had accumulated around projects that technically complied with zoning, and developers could not move forward with confidence.—
Christina Mojica,
Oc Register,
26 May 2026
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One of its key findings was that crisis intervention, requiring rapid judgment in high-stakes, unpredictable situations, ranked among the most difficult skills for AI systems to replicate.—
Ulrich Boser,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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
Adjective
-
The room received the work with laughter, snaps, and occasional utterances of that satisfied poetry moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
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The air force also operates limited transport and rotary-wing assets, including Antonov An-2, An-26 and An-32 aircraft, occasional Ilyushin transports, and approximately 13 helicopters, including Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-14 and Mi-24 variants used for transport, naval support and utility missions.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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