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unstable

adj
/ʌnˈsteɪ.bəl/

Etymology

From Middle English unstable; equivalent to un- (not) + stable.

  1. inherited from unstable

Definitions

  1. Not stable.

    • unstable foundation
    • The structure is too unstable to stand safely.
    • The hillside at this point is composed of shaly rock overlaid with a peaty loam which carries a growth of heather, and its unstable condition has resulted in two landslides in the course of the railway's history.

  2. Having a strong tendency to change.

  3. Fluctuating

    Fluctuating; not constant.

    • politically unstable
    • The political situation remains unstable.
  4. ›+ 5 more definitions

    1. Fickle.

    2. Unpredictable.

    3. Readily decomposable.

      • chemically unstable

    4. Radioactive, especially with a short half-life.

    5. To release (an animal) from a stable.

      • When the last tune of music floated from the fleet, he unstabled his quarter horse and headed for the coastal road leading west and north on his circuit.

The neighborhood

Derived

emotionally unstable personality disorder, unstable equilibrium

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at unstable. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01unstable02fluctuating03changes04chord05horizontal06vertical07normal08sick

A definitional loop anchored at unstable. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

8 hops · closes at unstable

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA