Definition of unstable in English:

unstable

adjectiveunstablest, unstablerʌnˈsteɪb(ə)lˌənˈsteɪbəl

1Likely to give way; not stable.
the unstable cliff tops
不稳固的崖顶。
Example sentencesExamples
- However it was found to be geologically unstable and would likely blow itself to ashes in about six cycles.
- Such steep slopes are unstable and prone to slumping, so deltas often collapse.
- Officers said overloaded caravans were unstable and difficult to control.
- The slopes and cliffs reflect a highly unstable and dynamic landscape.
- The unstable ground underneath his feet suddenly gave way, and he fell into a deep sinkhole.
- Calm funded the project to avoid safety worries over unstable cliff faces and walking trails.
- Luckily, it caught a jar full of pencils, already unstable and perched precariously on the edge of the desk.
- The thief and his pursuers were uncertain on their feet while they tried to traverse the unstable landscape.
- Even when it was discovered that the land was unstable and prone to landslide, the squatters remained.
- Just inside the entrance many large rocks had fallen and lots of loose rubble, indicating that the entrance was unstable and prone to rock falls.
- Yet this one is so poorly made that the mast at sea would have twisted, making the ship unstable and difficult to control.
- Unfortunately, there are not enough of the biggest bricks which means that the cross section of the tower is only one lego element wide at the top and very unstable.
- Following this extended period of stability the slope, whilst still grazed grassland, suddenly became unstable.
- Construction of drilled piles in unstable soil is difficult because soil can contaminate the pile.
- As you might be aware, Tokyo is built on some slightly unstable land, prone to all manner of natural disasters, especially earthquakes.
- Conditions in the mine were so unstable that rescue workers could not enter the shaft to retrieve the bodies for almost 24 hours.
- The choice of operation depends on how large the protrusion is, how many nerves are involved and how stable or unstable the spine is.
- Due to natural erosion the cliff was inherently unstable, and there had been at least two landslips on the authority's land.
- The last remaining member of the Hail family rose from her seat, balancing precariously on unstable legs.
- Death of the whole tree will not be immediate, but reduced root development will make the larger trees unstable and therefore prone to wind-blow.
Synonyms
unsteady, rocky, wobbly, wobbling, rickety, shaky, tottery, tottering, teetering, doddery, unsafe, unbalanced, unreliable, insecure, not secure, unfastened, unsecured, movable, precarious
Irish bockety
1. 1.1 Likely to change or fail; not firmly established.
  an unstable government
  不稳定的政府。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He said that the difficulties also led to the highly unstable domestic prices and deterioration in living conditions.
  Without citizens who possess these qualities, democracies become difficult to govern, even unstable.
  The conditions of patients admitted to the trauma room are usually unstable and critical.
  They are the future of our country and if we allow a bad situation get worse, then we are setting the country on a road to an unstable and uncertain future.
  Nuclear power is like that - unpredictable, unstable and ultimately as dangerous as it gets.
  Today they read as uncanny reflections of our own unstable, uncertain age.
  However, base rates are inherently ambiguous, unreliable and unstable.
  It is a very unstable region, where changes can occur brutally.
  Unstable voltage lines mean an unstable system and this is the last thing people want.
  Wahid, at the head of an unstable multi-party coalition, is attempting a precarious political balancing act.
  Political fragmentation has been a problem, and coalitions between parties have been unstable.
  Other staff contend with phone lines that don't work, uncertain supply lines, and a power system that is unstable at the best of times.
  Experts have said that the unstable exchange rate created difficulties in reaching debt restructuring agreements.
  The economy is unstable and unpredictable, and people have to adapt to many changes to survive.
  However, you could be forgiven for thinking that the future for competitive operators looks highly uncertain and unstable.
  At the same time, the incomes - and jobs - they do have are far more unstable than they were a few decades ago.
  The problem is from the ground up it's a very unstable technology in terms of specifications.
  The subjectivity of decisions made by these people makes global financial markets extremely unstable.
  Throughout the 1990s, politics were extremely unstable, with frequent changes of government.
  It is not necessary to point out that when the economy is on track, the unstable labor market problem resolves itself.
  Synonyms
  changeable, volatile, variable, unsettled, fluctuating, inconstant, inconsistent, irregular, fitful, unpredictable, unreliable, fickle, capricious, mercurial, erratic, uncertain, wavering
2. 1.2 Prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood.
  易精神失常的；情绪易变的
  he was mentally unstable
  他精神上不稳定。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Ray Liotta plays a reckless and unstable crime boss.
  We are expecting that the western media will portray him a crazy or an unstable person - he was the opposite.
  From seventeen year old kid with an unstable mother to his rise as a porn god to his fall from grace, Wahlberg is there every step of the way.
  When one is emotionally unstable, alcohol inhibits the ability to confront and solve problems.
  Police say Bazell, who had a ticket for a domestic Delta flight, appeared mentally unstable.
  So I didn't want to open the door to the mental hospital, but I was forced to because of her unstable state.
  The men became uncontrollable, emotionally unstable and dangerously paranoid.
  Leading up to her death, the weeks before her death, many people seemed to think she was mentally unstable.
  When a suspect is mentally unstable, officers are trained to back off and call in a crisis intervention team.
  It appears that he had a lively genius, but was unstable, erratic, and weak.
  If Khouri is as mentally unstable as the article implies then that's a bit harsh, don't you reckon?
  The diagnosis is that of an emotionally unstable borderline personality disorder.
  There are, unfortunately, people in the world who are unstable, and who may descend into madness.
  A hitman is assigned to kidnap the mentally unstable younger brother of a powerful district attorney.
  The ruling affected the treatment of mentally unstable prisoners during trials.
  Women, in comparison to men, also viewed the defendant as more psychologically unstable.
  He is accusing this woman of mentally unstable demeanour when, in fact, he seems to be the most qualified for such a label.
  Both emotionally stable and unstable students can benefit from a better understanding of psychology.
  Betty is a successful writer who is forced to relive her traumatic childhood when her mentally unstable mother comes to visit.
  Defence counsel argued that Cowle was mentally unstable, but the prosecution said he was not insane in the legal sense.
  Synonyms
  unbalanced, of unsound mind, mentally ill, deranged, demented, crazed, distracted, troubled, disturbed, unhinged, insane, mad, mad as a hatter, mad as a March hare, raving mad, lunatic, out of one's mind/head, not in one's right mind, neurotic, psychotic
  Latin non compos mentis
  British sectionable
  informal crazy, loopy, loony, mixed up, nuts, nutty, nutty as a fruitcake, bananas, cracked, crackpot, daft, dippy, screwy, bats, batty, dotty, cuckoo, bonkers, potty, mental, screwed up, not all there, off one's head, out to lunch, a bit lacking, round the bend/twist, away with the fairies
  British informal barmy, crackers, barking, barking mad, off one's trolley/rocker, daft as a brush, not the full shilling
  North American informal nutsy, nutso, squirrelly, wacko, buggy
  dated touched

Derivatives

unstableness

noun

Her mother and father snub her off completely overlooking her serious unstableness.
Example sentencesExamples
- I have refused him overnight/unsupervised visits due to his unstableness.
- Her mental unstableness is too hard for her to cope with.
- The highly accomplished actress gets some details right, but the overarching mental unstableness she exudes is so excessive as to make one wonder whether she is playing or being unhinged.
- I told him that due to his ignorance, his attitude and his unstableness, that if he wasn't careful, he'd wind up like me.

unstably

adverb

Forty-five percent were homeless or unstably domiciled, over three-fourths were living as single, and 89% were unemployed.
Example sentencesExamples
- He slowly walked into hallway and into the bathroom rather unstably.
- Her knees shook unstably, and she headed towards the chair.
- Deciding that a cold shower would be a much saner solution, he disentangled himself from his blanket and walked unstably towards the bathroom, all the while trying to remember what exactly happened that led him to this position.
- I felt incredibly light-headed, and the room swam unstably about me.

Definition of unstable in US English:

unstable

adjectiveˌənˈsteɪbəlˌənˈstābəl

1Prone to change, fail, or give way; not stable.
易变的；易动摇的；不稳固的；不稳定的
the unstable cliff tops
不稳固的崖顶。
an unstable government
不稳定的政府。
Example sentencesExamples
- Calm funded the project to avoid safety worries over unstable cliff faces and walking trails.
- Just inside the entrance many large rocks had fallen and lots of loose rubble, indicating that the entrance was unstable and prone to rock falls.
- Construction of drilled piles in unstable soil is difficult because soil can contaminate the pile.
- Death of the whole tree will not be immediate, but reduced root development will make the larger trees unstable and therefore prone to wind-blow.
- Such steep slopes are unstable and prone to slumping, so deltas often collapse.
- Following this extended period of stability the slope, whilst still grazed grassland, suddenly became unstable.
- The choice of operation depends on how large the protrusion is, how many nerves are involved and how stable or unstable the spine is.
- Due to natural erosion the cliff was inherently unstable, and there had been at least two landslips on the authority's land.
- The slopes and cliffs reflect a highly unstable and dynamic landscape.
- Officers said overloaded caravans were unstable and difficult to control.
- The thief and his pursuers were uncertain on their feet while they tried to traverse the unstable landscape.
- Even when it was discovered that the land was unstable and prone to landslide, the squatters remained.
- As you might be aware, Tokyo is built on some slightly unstable land, prone to all manner of natural disasters, especially earthquakes.
- Unfortunately, there are not enough of the biggest bricks which means that the cross section of the tower is only one lego element wide at the top and very unstable.
- Luckily, it caught a jar full of pencils, already unstable and perched precariously on the edge of the desk.
- The unstable ground underneath his feet suddenly gave way, and he fell into a deep sinkhole.
- Conditions in the mine were so unstable that rescue workers could not enter the shaft to retrieve the bodies for almost 24 hours.
- Yet this one is so poorly made that the mast at sea would have twisted, making the ship unstable and difficult to control.
- However it was found to be geologically unstable and would likely blow itself to ashes in about six cycles.
- The last remaining member of the Hail family rose from her seat, balancing precariously on unstable legs.
Synonyms
unsteady, rocky, wobbly, wobbling, rickety, shaky, tottery, tottering, teetering, doddery, unsafe, unbalanced, unreliable, insecure, not secure, unfastened, unsecured, movable, precarious
1. 1.1 Prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood.
  易精神失常的；情绪易变的
  he was mentally unstable
  他精神上不稳定。
  Example sentencesExamples
  It appears that he had a lively genius, but was unstable, erratic, and weak.
  There are, unfortunately, people in the world who are unstable, and who may descend into madness.
  Women, in comparison to men, also viewed the defendant as more psychologically unstable.
  A hitman is assigned to kidnap the mentally unstable younger brother of a powerful district attorney.
  The ruling affected the treatment of mentally unstable prisoners during trials.
  From seventeen year old kid with an unstable mother to his rise as a porn god to his fall from grace, Wahlberg is there every step of the way.
  When a suspect is mentally unstable, officers are trained to back off and call in a crisis intervention team.
  Defence counsel argued that Cowle was mentally unstable, but the prosecution said he was not insane in the legal sense.
  If Khouri is as mentally unstable as the article implies then that's a bit harsh, don't you reckon?
  Police say Bazell, who had a ticket for a domestic Delta flight, appeared mentally unstable.
  He is accusing this woman of mentally unstable demeanour when, in fact, he seems to be the most qualified for such a label.
  Both emotionally stable and unstable students can benefit from a better understanding of psychology.
  We are expecting that the western media will portray him a crazy or an unstable person - he was the opposite.
  Leading up to her death, the weeks before her death, many people seemed to think she was mentally unstable.
  The diagnosis is that of an emotionally unstable borderline personality disorder.
  Ray Liotta plays a reckless and unstable crime boss.
  Betty is a successful writer who is forced to relive her traumatic childhood when her mentally unstable mother comes to visit.
  When one is emotionally unstable, alcohol inhibits the ability to confront and solve problems.
  So I didn't want to open the door to the mental hospital, but I was forced to because of her unstable state.
  The men became uncontrollable, emotionally unstable and dangerously paranoid.
  Synonyms
  unbalanced, of unsound mind, mentally ill, deranged, demented, crazed, distracted, troubled, disturbed, unhinged, insane, mad, mad as a hatter, mad as a march hare, raving mad, lunatic, out of one's head, out of one's mind, not in one's right mind, neurotic, psychotic

单词	unstable
释义	Definition of unstable in English: unstable adjectiveunstablest, unstablerʌnˈsteɪb(ə)lˌənˈsteɪbəl 1Likely to give way; not stable. the unstable cliff tops 不稳固的崖顶。 Example sentencesExamples However it was found to be geologically unstable and would likely blow itself to ashes in about six cycles. Such steep slopes are unstable and prone to slumping, so deltas often collapse. Officers said overloaded caravans were unstable and difficult to control. The slopes and cliffs reflect a highly unstable and dynamic landscape. The unstable ground underneath his feet suddenly gave way, and he fell into a deep sinkhole. Calm funded the project to avoid safety worries over unstable cliff faces and walking trails. Luckily, it caught a jar full of pencils, already unstable and perched precariously on the edge of the desk. The thief and his pursuers were uncertain on their feet while they tried to traverse the unstable landscape. Even when it was discovered that the land was unstable and prone to landslide, the squatters remained. Just inside the entrance many large rocks had fallen and lots of loose rubble, indicating that the entrance was unstable and prone to rock falls. Yet this one is so poorly made that the mast at sea would have twisted, making the ship unstable and difficult to control. Unfortunately, there are not enough of the biggest bricks which means that the cross section of the tower is only one lego element wide at the top and very unstable. Following this extended period of stability the slope, whilst still grazed grassland, suddenly became unstable. Construction of drilled piles in unstable soil is difficult because soil can contaminate the pile. As you might be aware, Tokyo is built on some slightly unstable land, prone to all manner of natural disasters, especially earthquakes. Conditions in the mine were so unstable that rescue workers could not enter the shaft to retrieve the bodies for almost 24 hours. The choice of operation depends on how large the protrusion is, how many nerves are involved and how stable or unstable the spine is. Due to natural erosion the cliff was inherently unstable, and there had been at least two landslips on the authority's land. The last remaining member of the Hail family rose from her seat, balancing precariously on unstable legs. Death of the whole tree will not be immediate, but reduced root development will make the larger trees unstable and therefore prone to wind-blow. Synonyms unsteady, rocky, wobbly, wobbling, rickety, shaky, tottery, tottering, teetering, doddery, unsafe, unbalanced, unreliable, insecure, not secure, unfastened, unsecured, movable, precarious Irish bockety 1.1 Likely to change or fail; not firmly established. an unstable government 不稳定的政府。 Example sentencesExamples He said that the difficulties also led to the highly unstable domestic prices and deterioration in living conditions. Without citizens who possess these qualities, democracies become difficult to govern, even unstable. The conditions of patients admitted to the trauma room are usually unstable and critical. They are the future of our country and if we allow a bad situation get worse, then we are setting the country on a road to an unstable and uncertain future. Nuclear power is like that - unpredictable, unstable and ultimately as dangerous as it gets. Today they read as uncanny reflections of our own unstable, uncertain age. However, base rates are inherently ambiguous, unreliable and unstable. It is a very unstable region, where changes can occur brutally. Unstable voltage lines mean an unstable system and this is the last thing people want. Wahid, at the head of an unstable multi-party coalition, is attempting a precarious political balancing act. Political fragmentation has been a problem, and coalitions between parties have been unstable. Other staff contend with phone lines that don't work, uncertain supply lines, and a power system that is unstable at the best of times. Experts have said that the unstable exchange rate created difficulties in reaching debt restructuring agreements. The economy is unstable and unpredictable, and people have to adapt to many changes to survive. However, you could be forgiven for thinking that the future for competitive operators looks highly uncertain and unstable. At the same time, the incomes - and jobs - they do have are far more unstable than they were a few decades ago. The problem is from the ground up it's a very unstable technology in terms of specifications. The subjectivity of decisions made by these people makes global financial markets extremely unstable. Throughout the 1990s, politics were extremely unstable, with frequent changes of government. It is not necessary to point out that when the economy is on track, the unstable labor market problem resolves itself. Synonyms changeable, volatile, variable, unsettled, fluctuating, inconstant, inconsistent, irregular, fitful, unpredictable, unreliable, fickle, capricious, mercurial, erratic, uncertain, wavering 1.2 Prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood. 易精神失常的；情绪易变的 he was mentally unstable 他精神上不稳定。 Example sentencesExamples Ray Liotta plays a reckless and unstable crime boss. We are expecting that the western media will portray him a crazy or an unstable person - he was the opposite. From seventeen year old kid with an unstable mother to his rise as a porn god to his fall from grace, Wahlberg is there every step of the way. When one is emotionally unstable, alcohol inhibits the ability to confront and solve problems. Police say Bazell, who had a ticket for a domestic Delta flight, appeared mentally unstable. So I didn't want to open the door to the mental hospital, but I was forced to because of her unstable state. The men became uncontrollable, emotionally unstable and dangerously paranoid. Leading up to her death, the weeks before her death, many people seemed to think she was mentally unstable. When a suspect is mentally unstable, officers are trained to back off and call in a crisis intervention team. It appears that he had a lively genius, but was unstable, erratic, and weak. If Khouri is as mentally unstable as the article implies then that's a bit harsh, don't you reckon? The diagnosis is that of an emotionally unstable borderline personality disorder. There are, unfortunately, people in the world who are unstable, and who may descend into madness. A hitman is assigned to kidnap the mentally unstable younger brother of a powerful district attorney. The ruling affected the treatment of mentally unstable prisoners during trials. Women, in comparison to men, also viewed the defendant as more psychologically unstable. He is accusing this woman of mentally unstable demeanour when, in fact, he seems to be the most qualified for such a label. Both emotionally stable and unstable students can benefit from a better understanding of psychology. Betty is a successful writer who is forced to relive her traumatic childhood when her mentally unstable mother comes to visit. Defence counsel argued that Cowle was mentally unstable, but the prosecution said he was not insane in the legal sense. Synonyms unbalanced, of unsound mind, mentally ill, deranged, demented, crazed, distracted, troubled, disturbed, unhinged, insane, mad, mad as a hatter, mad as a March hare, raving mad, lunatic, out of one's mind/head, not in one's right mind, neurotic, psychotic Latin non compos mentis British sectionable informal crazy, loopy, loony, mixed up, nuts, nutty, nutty as a fruitcake, bananas, cracked, crackpot, daft, dippy, screwy, bats, batty, dotty, cuckoo, bonkers, potty, mental, screwed up, not all there, off one's head, out to lunch, a bit lacking, round the bend/twist, away with the fairies British informal barmy, crackers, barking, barking mad, off one's trolley/rocker, daft as a brush, not the full shilling North American informal nutsy, nutso, squirrelly, wacko, buggy dated touched Derivatives unstableness noun Her mother and father snub her off completely overlooking her serious unstableness. Example sentencesExamples I have refused him overnight/unsupervised visits due to his unstableness. Her mental unstableness is too hard for her to cope with. The highly accomplished actress gets some details right, but the overarching mental unstableness she exudes is so excessive as to make one wonder whether she is playing or being unhinged. I told him that due to his ignorance, his attitude and his unstableness, that if he wasn't careful, he'd wind up like me. unstably adverb Forty-five percent were homeless or unstably domiciled, over three-fourths were living as single, and 89% were unemployed. Example sentencesExamples He slowly walked into hallway and into the bathroom rather unstably. Her knees shook unstably, and she headed towards the chair. Deciding that a cold shower would be a much saner solution, he disentangled himself from his blanket and walked unstably towards the bathroom, all the while trying to remember what exactly happened that led him to this position. I felt incredibly light-headed, and the room swam unstably about me. Definition of unstable in US English: unstable adjectiveˌənˈsteɪbəlˌənˈstābəl 1Prone to change, fail, or give way; not stable. 易变的；易动摇的；不稳固的；不稳定的 the unstable cliff tops 不稳固的崖顶。 an unstable government 不稳定的政府。 Example sentencesExamples Calm funded the project to avoid safety worries over unstable cliff faces and walking trails. Just inside the entrance many large rocks had fallen and lots of loose rubble, indicating that the entrance was unstable and prone to rock falls. Construction of drilled piles in unstable soil is difficult because soil can contaminate the pile. Death of the whole tree will not be immediate, but reduced root development will make the larger trees unstable and therefore prone to wind-blow. Such steep slopes are unstable and prone to slumping, so deltas often collapse. Following this extended period of stability the slope, whilst still grazed grassland, suddenly became unstable. The choice of operation depends on how large the protrusion is, how many nerves are involved and how stable or unstable the spine is. Due to natural erosion the cliff was inherently unstable, and there had been at least two landslips on the authority's land. The slopes and cliffs reflect a highly unstable and dynamic landscape. Officers said overloaded caravans were unstable and difficult to control. The thief and his pursuers were uncertain on their feet while they tried to traverse the unstable landscape. Even when it was discovered that the land was unstable and prone to landslide, the squatters remained. As you might be aware, Tokyo is built on some slightly unstable land, prone to all manner of natural disasters, especially earthquakes. Unfortunately, there are not enough of the biggest bricks which means that the cross section of the tower is only one lego element wide at the top and very unstable. Luckily, it caught a jar full of pencils, already unstable and perched precariously on the edge of the desk. The unstable ground underneath his feet suddenly gave way, and he fell into a deep sinkhole. Conditions in the mine were so unstable that rescue workers could not enter the shaft to retrieve the bodies for almost 24 hours. Yet this one is so poorly made that the mast at sea would have twisted, making the ship unstable and difficult to control. However it was found to be geologically unstable and would likely blow itself to ashes in about six cycles. The last remaining member of the Hail family rose from her seat, balancing precariously on unstable legs. Synonyms unsteady, rocky, wobbly, wobbling, rickety, shaky, tottery, tottering, teetering, doddery, unsafe, unbalanced, unreliable, insecure, not secure, unfastened, unsecured, movable, precarious 1.1 Prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood. 易精神失常的；情绪易变的 he was mentally unstable 他精神上不稳定。 Example sentencesExamples It appears that he had a lively genius, but was unstable, erratic, and weak. There are, unfortunately, people in the world who are unstable, and who may descend into madness. Women, in comparison to men, also viewed the defendant as more psychologically unstable. A hitman is assigned to kidnap the mentally unstable younger brother of a powerful district attorney. The ruling affected the treatment of mentally unstable prisoners during trials. From seventeen year old kid with an unstable mother to his rise as a porn god to his fall from grace, Wahlberg is there every step of the way. When a suspect is mentally unstable, officers are trained to back off and call in a crisis intervention team. Defence counsel argued that Cowle was mentally unstable, but the prosecution said he was not insane in the legal sense. If Khouri is as mentally unstable as the article implies then that's a bit harsh, don't you reckon? Police say Bazell, who had a ticket for a domestic Delta flight, appeared mentally unstable. He is accusing this woman of mentally unstable demeanour when, in fact, he seems to be the most qualified for such a label. Both emotionally stable and unstable students can benefit from a better understanding of psychology. We are expecting that the western media will portray him a crazy or an unstable person - he was the opposite. Leading up to her death, the weeks before her death, many people seemed to think she was mentally unstable. The diagnosis is that of an emotionally unstable borderline personality disorder. Ray Liotta plays a reckless and unstable crime boss. Betty is a successful writer who is forced to relive her traumatic childhood when her mentally unstable mother comes to visit. When one is emotionally unstable, alcohol inhibits the ability to confront and solve problems. So I didn't want to open the door to the mental hospital, but I was forced to because of her unstable state. The men became uncontrollable, emotionally unstable and dangerously paranoid. Synonyms unbalanced, of unsound mind, mentally ill, deranged, demented, crazed, distracted, troubled, disturbed, unhinged, insane, mad, mad as a hatter, mad as a march hare, raving mad, lunatic, out of one's head, out of one's mind, not in one's right mind, neurotic, psychotic
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