restless
Americanadjective
-
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
-
unable to stay still or quiet
-
ceaselessly active or moving
the restless wind
-
worried; anxious; uneasy
-
not restful; without repose
a restless night
Other Word Forms
Derived 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 findings point to a more restless view of evolution.
From Science Daily • May 29, 2026
Even if investors were getting a bit restless, Wall Street analysts have maintained their confidence in Intel.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
The message is clear to his MPs and restless ministers - try if you like, but I'll fight you to stay.
From BBC • May 2, 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
The illustration of the child asleep in his bed beneath the stars faces outward, but it is difficult to tell if the child’s dreams are peaceful or restless.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
