unsteady Hear it!

unsteady Definition

un·steady (-stedē)

adjective

not steady; specif.,

  1. not firm or stable; shaky
  2. changeable; inconstant; wavering
  3. erratic in habits, purpose, or behavior

transitive verb -·stead·ied, -·steady·ing

to make unsteady

  • unsteadfast

unsteady Related Forms

un·steadi·ly adverb un·steadi·ness noun

unsteady Synonyms

unsteady

modif.

  1. Wobbly

    unstable, wiggly, wavering, shaky, treacherous, unbalanced, top-heavy, leaning, ramshackle, giddy, weaving, heaving, precarious, shifting, teetering, uncertain; see also irregular 1, unstable 1.

  2. Inconstant

    changeable, fluctuating, vacillating, erratic, variable, uncertain, unfixed, capricious, volatile, unreliable, tricky, shifty, shaky, jerky, fluttering; see also changeable 1, 2.

unsteady Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: I also feel slightly unsteady all the time with intermittant attacks of bad vertigo.
  • little: You rabbit may be a little unsteady on its feet.
  • very: Yes, this is very unsteady ground where there clearly isn't one answer.
  • so: Your hand is so unsteady, you won't be able to light the match.
  • quite: The hamster did not have any symptoms but our dog was quite unsteady on her feet for a while.
  • increasingly: She was increasingly unsteady on her feet and had to use a walking frame at school.

Modifies a noun

  • gait: The first presenting symptom is generally ataxia, a medical term used to describe an unsteady gait.
  • aerodynamics: Key research topics include flow control, unsteady aerodynamics, flight mechanics and the aerodynamics of novel configurations.
  • flow: The detailed flow in the new design is now being measured with particular emphasis on understanding the unsteady flow.
  • hand: The durable plastic stand rests directly on the page, eliminating any tremor from unsteady hands.
  • movement: Some people experience poor attention, feeling restless and slow or unsteady movement.
  • condition: Laboratory and site testing are being deployed to ensure that the developed simulations accurately replicate the unsteady flow conditions found in practice.

Used with adjective complement

  • feel: If you feel unsteady on your feet ask the driver to wait until you are safely seated before he sets off.
  • become: While he was there he became unsteady on his feet and fell off a chair.
  • look: Since then she has hardly moved, and looked very unsteady when she has.
  • appear: As the ceremony began, several guests noticed that while the Princess was composed, the Prince appeared unsteady.
  • seem: Mr Z was uncooperative with an examination of his nervous system and seemed unsteady to the staff grade doctor.