restlessness

[rest-lis-nis]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of restlessness¹

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

Related Words

• agitation 
• anxiety 
• disquiet 
• ferment 
• insomnia 
• instability 
• jitters www.thesaurus.com
• nervousness 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com