unrest
Americannoun
-
lack of rest; a restless, troubled, or uneasy state; disquiet.
the unrest within himself.
-
disturbance or turmoil; agitation.
political unrest.
- Synonyms:
- turbulence, discord, ferment
noun
-
a troubled or rebellious state of discontent
-
an uneasy or troubled state
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unrest
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at un- 1, rest 1
Explanation
Unrest is an uneasy, agitated, or disturbed condition. Strikes and public protests are often part of social and political unrest. There's a personal, small-scale kind of unrest, like the unrest caused at a birthday party by one extremely unhappy child, or the unrest that results from a class clown's practical jokes. Then there's the societal unrest that results in angry public demonstrations. Unsafe working conditions might lead to unrest among laborers, and a government's authoritarian rule often results in unrest too, with citizens marching in the streets.
Vocabulary lists containing unrest
Lesson 4
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for March 25–March 31, 2023
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 26–December 2, 2022
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More than 2,400 people faced prosecution following the unrest.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Perhaps ominously, but to err on the side of caution, Yellowstone’s Volcano Alert Level is raised from “normal” to “advisory,” indicating that unrest is above its established background level.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
When social unrest arises, it can be difficult in the chaos to know how much responsibility can be assigned to the RSS or its affiliates, and RSS members frequently claim misattribution from their political adversaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
The State Department has the nation of Haiti under a “Level 4 – Do not travel” advisory, due to the relatively high risk of “crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and limited health care.”
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
In other regions—including much of Central America, Mexico, Peru, New Caledonia, the former Soviet Union, and parts of Indonesia—civil unrest or guerrilla warfare pits still-numerous indigenous populations against governments dominated by descendants of invading conquerors.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
