Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

unease

American  
[uhn-eez] / ʌnˈiz /

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.

Etymology

Origin of unease

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

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 unease and sense of limbo is palpable on Moerdijk's streets.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

That feeling can present in many ways — rumination, a knot in your throat or your chest, an unease in your stomach, the tensing of muscles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The viewer has reckoned with their unease by finding humor in an otherwise unfunny topic.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

Economic activity in Canada remained positive in the early months of the year despite volatility in manufacturing and continued unease over trade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

It wasn't until they rowed back onto the canal that led behind the Mud House that Pong felt an old familiar unease creep up his spine.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

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.