Link Centre Dictionary

uneasy

UK/ʌnˈiːzi/ US/ʌˈnizi/ fairly common

adjective

1.

lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance

  • “farmers were uneasy until rain finally came”
  • “uneasy about his health”
  • “gave an uneasy laugh”
  • “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”
  • “an uneasy coalition government”
  • “an uneasy calm”
  • “an uneasy silence fell on the group”
2.

causing or fraught with or showing anxiety

  • “spent an anxious night waiting for the test results”
  • “cast anxious glances behind her”
  • “those nervous moments before takeoff”
  • “an unquiet mind”
3.

marked by a lack of quiet; not conducive to rest

  • “spent a restless night”
  • “fell into an uneasy sleep”
Synonyms
Similar
4.

not at ease socially; unsure and constrained in manner

  • “awkward and reserved at parties”
  • “ill at ease among eddies of people he didn”
  • “;”

Origin

From Middle English unesy, equivalent to un- + easy. Merged with Middle English unethe, uneathe (“difficult, not easy”). See uneath.

Phrases

  • uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

Related words

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.