What does "unstable" mean?
To release (an animal) from a stable.
Unstable
/ʌnˈsteɪ.bəl/ adj, verb
adj, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To release (an animal) from a stable.
- Grammar: unstable is listed as adj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: precarious, adrift, afloat, alternating.
- Useful contrasts: stable, balanced, balanced forces.
- Usage evidence: Future prospects for ASEAN seem unstable, no matter how you look at it.
How to use "unstable"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "unstable" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "unstable" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "unstable" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "unstable" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "unstable" is acting as adj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "precarious" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "unstable", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To release (an animal) from a stable. transitive
"When the last tune of music floated from the fleet, he unstabled his quarter horse and headed for the coastal road leading west and north on his circuit."
Adjective
- 1 Not stable.
"unstable foundation"
- 2 Having a strong tendency to change.
"The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania.[…]It was used to make kerosene, the main fuel for artificial lighting after overfishing led to a shortage of whale blubber. Other liquids produced in the refining process, too unstable or smoky for lamplight, were burned or dumped."
- 3 Fluctuating; not constant.
"politically unstable"
- 4 Fickle.
- 5 Unpredictable.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Readily decomposable.
"chemically unstable"
- 7 Radioactive, especially with a short half-life.
Adjective
- 1 subject to change; variable wordnet
- 2 affording no ease or reassurance wordnet
- 3 highly or violently reactive wordnet
- 4 disposed to psychological variability wordnet
- 5 suffering from severe mental illness wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 lacking stability or fixity or firmness wordnet
Example
"Future prospects for ASEAN seem unstable, no matter how you look at it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "unstable"?
Common synonyms include: precarious, adrift, afloat, alternating, ambiguous, amorphous.
How do you use "unstable" in a sentence?
Future prospects for ASEAN seem unstable, no matter how you look at it.
How do you pronounce "unstable"?
Pronounced /ʌnˈsteɪ.bəl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English unstable; equivalent to un- (not) + stable.
Etymology 2
From un- (reversive prefix) + stable.