restlessness

American  

[rest-lis-nis] / ˈrɛst lɪs nɪs /

noun

1. the inability to remain still or at rest, or a mood characterized by this.

   To overcome younger students’ restlessness and anxiety, one expert suggests class routines, role play activities, and other calming exercises.

2. the fact of being unable to sleep or find a comfortable position in which to sleep.

   I haven't been sleeping so well lately—a mix of restlessness and staying up too late watching movies.

3. discontent or dissatisfaction that drives one to keep looking for solutions, alternatives, or new things.

   We are incomplete beings yearning to be made whole, dogged by a sense of unease and restlessness.

4. perpetual movement.

   Growing up on the coast of Sydney as he did, his music is influenced by the restlessness of the ocean.

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Etymology

Origin of restlessness

restless ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

By filtering such a common feeling through a strange and delightfully unsettling narrative lens, “By Design” contends with our modern restlessness in far more memorable fashion than many big-budget, big-idea films of the last year.

From Salon

The show portrays an artist driven by an omnivorous restlessness, forever chasing and endeavoring to synthesize various artistic influences and mystical belief systems.

From The Wall Street Journal

There’s a musical restlessness on “Don’t Be Dumb” that takes it to some interesting places.

From The Wall Street Journal

"When access is disrupted, some young people may initially experience irritability, restlessness, or a sense of social disconnection… not because the platform itself is essential, but because a familiar coping mechanism has been removed."

From BBC

Each configuration seems contingent, not fixed, as if in a process of perpetual transition driven by some invisible force—tectonic restlessness or a growth hormone, say.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• agitation
• anxiety
• disquiet
• ferment
• insomnia
• instability
• jitters
• nervousness
• uneasiness