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unrest

American  
[uhn-rest] / ʌnˈrɛst /

noun

  1. lack of rest; a restless, troubled, or uneasy state; disquiet.

    the unrest within himself.

  2. disturbance or turmoil; agitation.

    political unrest.
    Synonyms:
    turbulence, discord, ferment
unrest British  
/ ʌnˈrɛst /

noun

  1. a troubled or rebellious state of discontent

  2. an uneasy or troubled state

"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

Other Word Forms

  • unresting adjective

Etymology

Origin of unrest

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; un- 1, rest 1

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.

“Quartet in Autumn,” which was published amid economic woes and social unrest in the United Kingdom, was her comeback.

From The Wall Street Journal

This happened in autumn 2019, and officials now seem to be worried by recent similar signs of unrest in that interbank market.

From The Wall Street Journal

To turn around the economy, Paz has said he would avoid painful austerity measures that could spark violent unrest in one of Latin America’s poorest nations.

From The Wall Street Journal

O'Neill feels Celtic "need harmony again" amid unrest between fans and the board.

From BBC

But, it's also about arresting a run of two straight defeats for new Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy with the deafening din of fan unrest bellowing towards the club's board.

From BBC

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.