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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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
Major apparel companies from American Eagle to Levi Strauss are in a race to corner that market, leaning on A-list celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and Beyonce to win over shoppers and drive sales in an unsteady economy.
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Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2025
Such conspicuously uneven character development puts the entire show on unsteady terrain.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025
The model is built on unsteady foundations, with only those banking huge profits right off the bat able to negate the hurdles in their way.
—Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
The improved outlook suggests Brown’s turnaround plan for the company remains on track in the face of global tariffs and unsteady demand.
—Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsteady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsteady
Adjective
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The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
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Trying to keep up with tariff news, especially as a consumer who isn't necessarily an expert in economic policy, can feel like dodging sporadic jump scares.—
Adjective
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Key's Jerry is a disruption through and through, knocking everything just a little off-kilter with each volatile appearance.—
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Paul Weller is still a godlike figure, but the Jam themselves had a really distinct chemistry and sounded very volatile onstage and are among the great punk groups.—
Adjective
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On Monday morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center reported that the recent storm was beginning to wind down, but warned that avalanche risks remained elevated due to strong winds and unstable snow.—
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The last two drafts are starting to come together, specifically the 2023 group, to form a foundation that can keep the need for relying on the unstable free-agent market to a slightly lower level.—
Adjective
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Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
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The Trojans' uneven season hasn't exactly helped slow rumors either.—
Adjective
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These include electric vehicles with extended driving ranges, large-scale renewable energy storage systems that can balance intermittent solar and wind power, and lightweight, flexible power sources for portable and wearable electronics.—
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Countries also need to work on better connecting intermittent renewables — those which work only when the sun shines or the wind blows — with batteries that can store their energy.—
Adjective
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Austin immigration advocates have argued that similar changes in Austin, and a lack of clarification from the police department on its policy, sends a message that contact with officers — even as a victim or witness — carries unpredictable risks for immigrant families.—
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The occurrence of abdominal pain is often unpredictable and can change over time.—
Adjective
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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.—
Adjective
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Not even those who, inspired by occasional bouts of yellow fever, had sure access to fleeting moments of lucidity.—
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Today, occasional direct ferries provide a simpler two-hour crossing.—
Cite this Entry
“Unsteady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsteady. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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