His restlessness gave her a hint that something was wrong.
Source: tatoeba (934475)
Restlessness
/ˈɹɛstləsnəs/
Synonyms for "restlessness" (235 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
Strong matches (71)
divine discontentdynamicseagernessebullitioneccentricityembroilmentenvyerraticismexcitementfaustianismfeery-faryfermentfermentationfeverfeverishnessficklenessfidgetinessfidgetsfitflap
Show 42 more words
flightinessflurryflusterflutterflutterationflutterinessfomentfreakishnessfretfulnessfrettingfumefussfussinessgoinghasteheavinghubbubhullabaloohurly burlyhurly-burlyill humorill-humorimpatienceimpatientnessimpetuousnessimpulsivenessinconsistencyinconstancyinquietudeinsomniainsomniacinsomnolenceinsomnolencyinstabilityirregularityjittersjumpinesskinematicskinesipathykinesiskinesitherapykinetics
Noun(9 words)
Related words (117)
latherlidless vigilmaelstrommalaisemercurialitymobilizationmoilmoodinessmotionmotivationmovemovementmovingnervinessnervositynervousnesspalpitationpantingpeevishnessperturbation
Show 88 more words
petulancepitapatpitter patterpitter-patterpotherquakingquaverquaveringquerulousnessquiverquiveringrebelliousnessresentmentrestivenessroilroutrowrunningscrambleseetheseethingsentienceshakesshakingshiftinessshivershiversshuddersleeplessnesssournessspasmspurtstewstirstirringsulkinesssweatswirltense readinessthrobthrobbingto doto-dotossing and turningtrembletremblingtremortrepidationtrepiditytumulttumultuationturbidityturbulenceturmoiltwitteruncertaintyundependabilityuneaseuneasinessunfixednessunfulfillmentunhappinessunpatientnessunpleasureunpredictabilityunquietunquietnessunreliabilityunrestunsatisfactionunsettlednessunstablenessunsteadfastnessunsteadinessupsetvariabilityvariationvarietyvelocityvexation of spiritvigilvortexwakewakefulnesswantonnesswaywardnesswhimsicalitywhirl
Noun(9 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: activity, actuation, ado, agitating, agitation.
- Sentence evidence is available for restlessness, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "restlessness".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "restlessness"
Keep "restlessness" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "restlessness" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "restlessness", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "restlessness" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesagitationambitionannoyancebehavioral statebotherationclassroom behaviordesireemotional stateirritationmental statemobilitynervousnessstatestudent behaviorvexation
More specific
7 entriesCollocations
6 entriesemotional restlessnessmild restlessnessperiod of restlessnesspervasive restlessnessrestlessness during testsrestlessness in class
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
8 total sentences available.
Then they themselves retired to rest, and this was the first night, for a long time past, that they slept soundly: they found that fatigue was the best remedy for the restlessness of love.
Source: tatoeba (6212497)
Instinctively they fly toward the friendly support of some tall weed where, as if feeling more secure on their feet than in the air, they resume their antics, hanging their heads downward, twirling their tails, jumping from one weed to another, and each bird apparently communicating its restlessness to its neighbor, until the whole colony is in a state of ferment.
Source: tatoeba (10963202)
You know how impetuous our friend is ordinarily, what a soul of restlessness and energy, never content unless he is rushing at some object, like a sportive bull at a red shawl; but amiable withal.
Source: tatoeba (11674328)
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "restlessness"?
Closest matches include activity, actuation, ado, agitating, agitation.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "restlessness"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.