unease

[uhn-eez]

noun

1. a state of discomfort or restlessness in the body or mind.

   Anxiety may break through and make itself felt in physical symptoms, such as jitters or unease.

   These initiatives seem to have emerged from the growing unease at the uneven pattern of economic recovery.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unease¹

First recorded in 1300–50; un- ¹ ( def. ) + ease ( def. )

Example Sentences

The upheaval in the former French colony off the coast of southern Africa echoes a series of protests that have felled governments in Bangladesh and Nepal, and are causing unease from Indonesia to Morocco.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If Takaichi becomes premier, she faces a host of complex issues including an ageing population, geopolitical upheaval, a faltering economy and growing unease about immigration.

Read more on Barron's

Noah Oppenheim’s screenplay often doubles back so we hear the same lines from different perspectives, adding to our understanding and deepening our unease.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He recalls being in New York after 9/11, unable to voice unease about the flag-waving and rush to war.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It is the second nationwide ballot on the issue after voters rejected the idea in 2021 amid concerns over data protection, and unease that the proposed system would be run largely by private companies.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• angst 
• apprehension 
• disquiet 
• doubt 
• dread 
• foreboding 
• jitters www.thesaurus.com
• misgiving 
• mistrust 
• nervousness 
• panic 
• restlessness 
• uncertainty 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com
• worry