as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
I'm usually ill at ease when addressing a large crowd of people
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Recent Examples of ill at ease
In addition to making people feel ill at ease and exacerbating respiratory illnesses, the wind, combined with dry conditions, has elevated the fire risk across Texas.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
Why is this beautiful woman so ill at ease on her way to church?
—Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
Husband and wife then head to the former’s book launch, where Lidia again feels ill at ease.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ill at ease
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
Why is this beautiful woman so ill at ease on her way to church?
—Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025
Husband and wife then head to the former’s book launch, where Lidia again feels ill at ease.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ill at ease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill at ease
Adjective
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Small business owners, who rely on social media to promote and sell their products, were especially worried with a busy festive season looming.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
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Parents are worried not just about getting food on the table, but whether that food is good for their kids.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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During the trials, some participants experienced nausea and an upset stomach, but investigators found that dividing up the pills, instead of taking all four at once, and swallowing them with orange juice instead of water, helped relieve the symptoms.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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So don’t be overly upset Yankee fans.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Research in attachment theory tells us that people with anxious attachment tendencies often monitor signs of availability and care in their partners.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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While all of his children enjoy supporting him at his fights, María is the one who gets the most anxious, according to Canelo.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nearly nine out of 10 institutional investors (89%) are nervous about investing in bitcoin due to its record-breaking growth, fearing losses from buying at all-time highs.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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One new attorney who joined his program started with little knowledge and was nervous about joining.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But occasionally, an individual surfaces who is able to navigate these troubled waters and seemingly coasts through the bad weather.—
Nina-Sophia Miralles,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Deeply troubled parents spoke to senators Tuesday, sounding alarms about chatbot harms after kids became addicted to companion bots that encouraged self-harm, suicide, and violence.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this year, Stewart admitted the thought left him uneasy.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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This stirs an uneasy thought in the astrobiologist’s mind.—
Dirk Schulze-Makuch,
Big Think,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill at ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill%20at%20ease. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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