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View synonyms for

unstable

[ uhn-stey-buhl ]

adjective

  1. not stable; not firm or firmly fixed; unsteady.
  2. liable to fall or sway.

    Synonyms:

  3. unsteadfast; inconstant; wavering:

    unstable convictions.

    Synonyms:

  4. marked by emotional instability:

    an unstable person.

  5. irregular in movement:

    an unstable heartbeat.

  6. Chemistry. noting compounds that readily decompose or change into other compounds.


unstable

/ ʌˈٱɪə /

adjective

  1. lacking stability, fixity, or firmness
  2. disposed to temperamental, emotional, or psychological variability
  3. (of a chemical compound) readily decomposing
  4. physics
    1. (of an elementary particle) having a very short lifetime
    2. spontaneously decomposing by nuclear decay; radioactive

      an unstable nuclide

  5. electronics (of an electrical circuit, mechanical body, etc) having a tendency to self-oscillation
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

unstable

  1. Liable to undergo spontaneous decay into some other form. For example, the nucleus of uranium 238 atom is unstable and changes by radioactive decay into the nucleus of thorium 234, a lighter element. Many subatomic particles, such as muons and neutrons, are unstable and decay quickly into other particles.
  2. See more at decay
  3. Relating to a chemical compound that readily decomposes or changes into other compounds or into elements.
  4. Relating to an atom or chemical element that is likely to share electrons; reactive.
  5. Characterized by uncertain or inadequate response to treatment and the potential for unfavorable outcome, as the status of a medical condition or disease.
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Derived Forms

  • ܲˈٲ, adverb
  • ܲˈٲԱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ܲ·ٲb·Ա noun
  • ܲ·ٲb adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of unstable1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; un- 1 + stable 2
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A year after that, I would end up in inpatient trauma therapy while Nick apparently told people that I was a drug addict and mentally unstable.

From

The debt, which was not paid off until 1947, contributed to Haiti becoming one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the Americas.

From

"We agreed that in an unstable world we must play our part as responsible nations with global interests," Sir Tony wrote on X, "and we reflected on the importance of military-to-military communications".

From

However, its job market has long been unstable and the city is ranked among the neediest in the US.

From

The company became a publicly traded company in 2021, after delaying its original IPO in 2019 due to unstable market conditions.

From

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