restless
Americanadjective
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characterized by or showing inability to remain at rest.
a restless mood.
-
unquiet or uneasy, as a person, the mind, or the heart.
-
never at rest; perpetually agitated or in motion.
the restless sea.
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without rest; without restful sleep.
a restless night.
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unceasingly active; averse to quiet or inaction, as persons.
a restless crowd.
adjective
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unable to stay still or quiet
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ceaselessly active or moving
the restless wind
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worried; anxious; uneasy
-
not restful; without repose
a restless night
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of restless
First recorded before before 1000; Middle English restles, Old English restlēas; see rest 1, -less
Explanation
When you're restless, you find it hard to sit still or concentrate on anything. An audience often grows restless when they're waiting for the second act of a play to start and there's an unexpected delay. If you think of restless as "unable to rest or relax," you'll know exactly what it means. You might have a restless night if you can't fall asleep and spend hours tossing and turning. A bunch of elementary school kids listening to a boring speech will grow restless in a way that's hard to miss, since they're bound to be squirming in their seats.
Vocabulary lists containing restless
"The Civil Rights Movement"
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Vocabulary from "Community is the 'killer app' missing from virtual reality" by Dmitri Williams
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Don't Panic! Synonyms for "Stress"
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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.
The Angels are on track to miss the postseason for a 12th consecutive season, prompting restless fans to call for new owners who will invest in building a team capable of reaching the playoffs.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
He also once asked a mother to move midway through a New World Symphony Orchestra concert in Florida, fearing the effect her restless child might have on the Adagio movement.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
A subdued economy leads to a subdued, restless, perhaps cantankerous electorate.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
"Imagine, without sleep, my child was restless all night," Quinones said.
From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026
Everyone is restless and chatting, signing one another’s yearbooks, paper airplanes soaring through the back rows, cell phones buzzing on tabletops.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
