unstable

[uhn-stey-buhl] / ʌnˈsteɪ bəl /

ADJECTIVE

doubtful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ambiguous changeable erratic fickle insecure irrational precarious risky rocky sensitive shaky slippery ticklish tricky uncertain unpredictable unsettled unsteady volatile weak wobbly

WEAK

borderline capricious dizzy dubious fitful fluctuating giddy inconsistent inconstant lubricious mercurial mobile movable moving mutable not fixed rickety shifty suspect teetering temperamental untrustworthy vacillating variable wavering weaving wiggly

Antonyms

STRONGEST

certain clear confident constant definite dependable easy firm guarded happy predictable protected reliable safe secure sound stable steady strong sure unchanging unshaky

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Born in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926, Monroe had an unstable childhood spent between orphanages and foster homes.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Because these intermediate phases are highly unstable, they have been extremely difficult to observe directly.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

FDA status does not mean those people are rough sleeping, instead they are in temporary, unstable situations waiting for the Housing Executive to fulfil its legal duty to rehouse them.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Watch the NYU Stern School of Business professor and author talk about how to find a job in an unstable economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

For a brief moment, I imagined telling him this was a setup and I'd been forced by my mentally unstable sister and her clingy friend to harass him.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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