Categories: GeneralSynonyms

UNSTABLE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for UNSTABLE?

Need another word that means the same as “unstable”? Find 54 synonyms and 30 related words for “unstable” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Unstable” are: precarious, unsound, fluid, unsteady, rocky, wobbly, wobbling, rickety, shaky, tottery, tottering, doddery, unsafe, unbalanced, unreliable, insecure, not secure, unfastened, unsecured, movable, changeable, volatile, variable, unsettled, fluctuating, inconstant, inconsistent, irregular, fitful, unpredictable, fickle, capricious, mercurial, erratic, uncertain, wavering, of unsound mind, deranged, demented, crazed, distracted, troubled, disturbed, unhinged, insane, mad, mad as a hatter, mad as a march hare, lunatic, out of one's head, out of one's mind, not in one's right mind, neurotic, psychotic

Unstable as an Adjective

Definitions of "Unstable" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “unstable” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

  • Disposed to psychological variability.
  • Likely to change or fail; not firmly established.
  • Suffering from severe mental illness.
  • Prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood.
  • Affording no ease or reassurance.
  • Likely to give way; not stable.
  • Lacking stability or fixity or firmness.
  • Subject to change; variable.
  • Highly or violently reactive.

Synonyms of "Unstable" as an adjective (54 Words)

capriciousDetermined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason.
A capricious and often brutal administration.
changeableCapable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature.
The weather will be changeable with rain at times.
crazed(of porcelain) characterized by a network of fine cracks in the glaze.
Crazed china should not be used for serving food as the tiny cracks can harbour bacteria.
dementedSuffering from dementia.
She was demented with worry.
derangedDriven insane.
A deranged gunman.
distractedUnable to concentrate because one is preoccupied by something worrying or unpleasant.
Charlotte seemed too distracted to give him much attention.
disturbedHaving had the normal pattern or functioning disrupted.
Disturbed sleep.
dodderySlow and unsteady in movement because of weakness in old age.
He s a bit doddery on his legs and doesn t get about much.
erraticNot even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.
Erratic winds are the bane of a sailor.
fickleChanging frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections.
Fickle weather.
fitfulActive or occurring spasmodically or intermittently; not regular or steady.
Business was fitful.
fluctuatingHaving unpredictable ups and downs.
A fluctuating level of demand.
fluidCharacteristic of a fluid capable of flowing and easily changing shape.
The fluid political situation of the 1930s.
inconsistentActing at variance with one’s own principles or former behaviour.
Parents can become inconsistent and lacking in control over their children.
inconstantLikely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable- Shakespeare.
The most inconstant man in the world.
insaneIn a state of mind which prevents normal perception, behaviour, or social interaction; seriously mentally ill.
His eyes were glowing with insane fury.
insecureNot firm or fixed; liable to give way or break.
A rather gauche insecure young man.
irregularNot occurring at expected times.
Their involvement in irregular financial dealings.
lunaticInsane and believed to be affected by the phases of the moon.
He would be asked to acquiesce in some lunatic scheme.
madAffected with madness or insanity.
A completely mad scheme to build a bridge between two mountains.
mad as a hatterRoused to anger- Mark Twain.
mad as a march hareAffected with madness or insanity.
mercurialRelating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury.
Mercurial twists of temperament.
movable(of property) of the nature of a chattel, as distinct from land or buildings.
A perpetual calendar for all religious feasts both fixed and movable.
neuroticHaving, caused by, or relating to neurosis.
He seemed a neurotic self obsessed character.
not in one's right mindCurrently fashionable.
not secureNot likely to fail or give way.
of unsound mindNot sound financially.
out of one's headOutside or external.
out of one's mindKnocked unconscious by a heavy blow.
precariousNot securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
A precarious truce.
psychoticCharacteristic of or suffering from psychosis.
A psychotic disturbance.
ricketyAffected with, suffering from, or characteristic of rickets.
Rickety limbs and joints.
rockyTending to rock or shake; unsteady.
Older types of sash windows are a bit rocky.
shakyNot safe or reliable; liable to fail or falter.
She managed a shaky laugh.
tottering(of structures or institutions) having lost stability; failing or on the point of collapse.
His tottering military regime.
totteryUnsteady in gait as from infirmity or old age.
A tottery old man.
troubledShowing distress or anxiety.
His troubled face.
unbalancedAffected with madness or insanity.
She considered him to be mentally unbalanced and dangerous.
uncertainNot certain to occur; not inevitable.
Everything is uncertain about the army.
unfastenedAffording unobstructed entrance and exit; not shut or closed.
The car door was unfastened.
unhingedAffected with madness or insanity.
The violent acts of unhinged minds.
unpredictableNot occurring at a regular rate or fixed intervals.
An unpredictable or indeterminable future.
unreliableLacking a sense of responsibility.
Unreliable information.
unsafeLacking in security or safety.
Because the confession was unreliable the verdict was unsafe and unsatisfactory.
unsecuredOf a creditor having made an unsecured loan.
An unsecured note.
unsettled(of an area) having no settlers or inhabitants.
They charge interest on debts that remain unsettled after 30 days.
unsoundPhysically unsound or diseased.
An unsound foundation.
unsteadyNot firmly or solidly positioned.
An unsteady voice.
variableLiable to or capable of change.
Variable filters in front of the mercury xenon lights.
volatileEvaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures.
Volatile oils.
waveringMoving in a quivering way; flickering.
She gave a wavering smile.
wobblingFluctuating unsteadily.
A low pitched wobbling sound.
wobbly(of a line or handwriting) not straight or regular.
The ladder felt a little wobbly.

Usage Examples of "Unstable" as an adjective

  • Unstable political conditions.
  • Sensitive and highly unstable compounds.
  • Everything was unstable following the coup.
  • He was mentally unstable.
  • The unstable cliff tops.
  • The tower proved to be unstable in the high wind.
  • His rather unstable religious convictions.
  • An unstable government.
  • An unstable world economy.

Associations of "Unstable" (30 Words)

bacchanalianUsed of riotously drunken merrymaking.
A bacchanalian orgy.
capriciousChangeable.
Authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious.
changeableLiable to unpredictable variation.
Changeable taffeta.
destabilizeMake unstable.
The economy destabilized rapidly.
disturbingCausing anxiety; worrying.
A disturbing amount of crime.
erraticNot even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.
An erratic comet.
fickleMarked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments.
Fickle weather.
inconstantLikely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable- Shakespeare.
An inconstant lover.
insecureLacking in security or safety.
A rather gauche insecure young man.
intoxicatedDrunk or under the influence of drugs.
Officials are reporting an increase in the number of intoxicated students requiring medical attention.
labileLiable to change.
Mood seemed generally appropriate but the patient was often labile.
mercurialSubject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.
For twenty years organic mercurials were the most potent diuretics in clinical use.
plasteredMade smooth by applying a sticky or glossy substance.
Coarsely plastered brickwork.
precariousFraught with danger.
A precarious truce.
quicksilverLiable to sudden unpredictable change.
A quicksilver character cool and willful at one moment utterly fragile the next.
reactiveActing in response to a situation rather than creating or controlling it.
A reactive load.
shakyVibrating slightly and irregularly; as e.g. with fear or cold or like the leaves of an aspen in a breeze.
A wobbly chair with shaky legs.
shiveringThe action of shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.
Gradually his shivering slowed.
teeterA plaything consisting of a board balanced on a fulcrum; the board is ridden up and down by children at either end.
She teetered between tears and anger.
tipsySlightly intoxicated.
Tipsy revellers.
uncertainLacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance.
Moving with uncertain or unsure steps.
unpredictableNot able to be predicted; changeable.
The unpredictable weather of the Scottish islands.
unrestA state of agitation or turbulent change or development.
Years of industrial unrest.
unsafeNot safe; dangerous.
Drinking water in some areas may be unsafe.
unsettledWorried and uneasy.
One question remains unsettled.
unsoundPhysically unsound or diseased.
The tower is structurally unsound.
unsteadyNot firmly or solidly positioned.
An unsteady voice.
variableThe region of light variable winds to the north of the north east trade winds or in the southern hemisphere between the south east trade winds and the westerlies.
Rainfall in the tropics is notoriously variable.
volatileA volatile substance.
A passionate volatile young man.
Alexei

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