uneasy

[uhn-ee-zee]

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

adjective, un·eas·i·er, un·eas·i·est.

not easy in body or mind; uncomfortable; restless; disturbed; perturbed.
not easy in manner; constrained; awkward.
not conducive to ease; causing bodily discomfort.

Origin of uneasy

First recorded in 1250–1300, uneasy is from the Middle English word unesy. See un-¹, easy

Related formsun·ease, nounun·eas·i·ly, adverbun·eas·i·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for uneasy

Contemporary Examples

Many cultures, however, have an uneasy relationship with bats.
Bats’ Link to Ebola Finally Solved
Carrie Arnold
November 12, 2014
It would seem, at best, an uneasy fit: Paul Newman and his seventieth birthday, this month.
The Stacks: The Eyes of Winter: Paul Newman at 70
Peter Richmond
October 11, 2014
As a result, the temporary truce negotiated by the ICRC is uneasy and, at best, only partial.
Fleeing Israeli Troops, Gaza Muslims Find Refuge in a Christian Church
Jesse Rosenfeld
July 23, 2014
The uneasy alliance between Pharma and medical research has also resulted in major scandals.
Why Smart People Are Dumb Patients
Jean Kim
July 14, 2014
An uneasy and unhappy electorate has spoken in June, and we should expect more surprises between now and November.
Horse-Trading to Replace Eric Cantor as House Majority Leader Begins
Ron Christie
June 11, 2014

Historical Examples

I was, in a manner, forced to work, yet I was uneasy and troubled in my mind.
Biography of a Slave
Charles Thompson
But she was so uneasy, she simply bent down and looked at him.
The Dream
Emile Zola
But when he left the old man at Mrs. North's door, he was uneasy again.
Quaint Courtships
Various
It might have comforted her a little, had she known what uneasy moments Martin was having.
Dust
Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius
For some reason Mainwaring was possessed by a strange, uneasy feeling.
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates
Howard Pyle

British Dictionary definitions for uneasy

uneasy

adjective

(of a person) anxious; apprehensive
(of a condition) precarious; uncomfortablean uneasy truce
(of a thought, etc) disturbing; disquieting

Derived Formsunease, noununeasily, adverbuneasiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for uneasy

late 13c., "not comforting," from un- (1) "not" + easy. Meaning "disturbed in mind" is attested from 1670s.

uneasy

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}uneasy

Examples from the Web for uneasy

Contemporary Examples

Many cultures, however, have an uneasy relationship with bats.

It would seem, at best, an uneasy fit: Paul Newman and his seventieth birthday, this month.

As a result, the temporary truce negotiated by the ICRC is uneasy and, at best, only partial.

The uneasy alliance between Pharma and medical research has also resulted in major scandals.

An uneasy and unhappy electorate has spoken in June, and we should expect more surprises between now and November.

Historical Examples

I was, in a manner, forced to work, yet I was uneasy and troubled in my mind.

But she was so uneasy, she simply bent down and looked at him.

But when he left the old man at Mrs. North's door, he was uneasy again.

It might have comforted her a little, had she known what uneasy moments Martin was having.

For some reason Mainwaring was possessed by a strange, uneasy feeling.

uneasy

Word Origin and History for uneasy

Origin of uneasy