as in unsteadiness
the quality or state of not being firmly fixed in position
the instability of the bridge became tragically apparent when it suddenly collapsed
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Recent Examples of instability
Public views about the direction of the country are highly polarized and this creates a national sense of instability.
—
Dr. Howard A. Selinger, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2025, the country’s highest foreign revenue came from remittances originating in the Middle East, placing it at direct risk from instability in that region.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
The Gulf War left Saddam Hussein in power, but weakened and dangerous, a source of regional instability for another decade—a pattern that some fear might be playing out in Iran, if the regime emerges from the war battered but no less entrenched.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
All that instability, observers and advocates say, make the presence of outside observers even more important.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instability
Dr. Howard A. Selinger, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2025, the country’s highest foreign revenue came from remittances originating in the Middle East, placing it at direct risk from instability in that region.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
The Gulf War left Saddam Hussein in power, but weakened and dangerous, a source of regional instability for another decade—a pattern that some fear might be playing out in Iran, if the regime emerges from the war battered but no less entrenched.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
All that instability, observers and advocates say, make the presence of outside observers even more important.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instability
Noun
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Those dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled following Dion's 2022 diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that includes rigidity and stiffness of certain areas of the body, causing unsteadiness, slower movements and difficulties walking.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Can’t slam anyone for that, and the unsteadiness was real and the moment was more poignant because of it.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The precariousness of Hollywood has always been at the heart of The Comeback.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
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Shifting comments from the Republican president and his top aides are adding to the precariousness of the 12-day-old conflict, which is impacting nearly every corner of the Middle East and causing economic tremors around the globe.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Buyers also are waiting on the sidelines in light of rising mortgage rates and listing prices, as well as overall economic uncertainty due to job insecurity, inflation and the Iran war.—
Lily O'Neill,
San Antonio Express-News,
2 Apr. 2026
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In a new interview, Fishel opened up about navigating life as a child star and explained how her years of insecurities nearly ended her on-camera career.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instability. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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