Unsettled — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˌən-ˈse-tᵊld/ un·set·tled

Meaning & Definition of Unsettled

Unsettled (adjective)

  1. not settled
  2. not calm or tranquil, disturbed
  3. likely to vary widely especially in the near future, variable

Unsettled (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly

    "we've been having a lot of unsettled weather lately"

    similar: capricious, changeable, changeful, fickle, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, unstable, unsteady, variable, volatile, up in the air
    related: aimless, arbitrary, desultory, erratic, haphazard, hit-or-miss, irregular, random, scattered, slapdash, stray, ambivalent, hesitating, shaky, shilly-shally, shilly-shallying, vacillating, wavering, dicey, undependable, unreliable, untrustworthy, adaptable, mobile, protean, versatile
    opposite: certain, changeless, constant, immutable, invariable, predictable, settled, stable, stationary, steady, unchangeable, unchanging, unvarying
    near: equable, even, uniform, abiding, durable, lasting, permanent, persistent, dependable, reliable, sure, tried, tried-and-true, true, trustworthy, trusty

  2. not yet paid

    "I keep unsettled bills next to the checkbook"

    similar: outstanding, overdue, owed, owing, payable, unpaid
    related: due, mature
    opposite: cleared, liquidated, paid (off or up), repaid, settled
    near: prepaid

  3. not yet settled or decided

    "we can't move on as long as this important question remains unsettled"

    similar: open, pending, undecided, undetermined, unresolved, in hand
    related: hanging, arguable, debatable, disputable, moot, uncertain, unsure
    opposite: decided, determined, resolved, settled
    near: confirmed, established, certain, sure

  4. not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something

    "I'm still unsettled about whether I should take that job"

    similar: distrustful, doubtful, dubious, hinky (slang), mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsure, on the fence
    related: ambivalent, conflicted, equivocal, diffident, insecure, halting, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, vacillating, wavering
    opposite: certain, convinced, positive, sure
    near: assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, decisive, determined, resolute

Unsettled (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers"

    similar: agitated, ailed, alarmed, bothered, concerned, derailed, discomforted, discomposed, dismayed, disquieted, distempered, distracted, distressed, disturbed, exercised, flurried, frazzled, freaked (out), fussed, hagrode, perturbed, undid, unhinged, upset, weirded out, worried
    related: aggravated, angered, annoyed, bugged, chafed, chivied, exasperated, fretted, galled, got, grated, harassed, harried, irked, irritated, nettled, peeved, pestered, piqued, put off, put out, riled, vexed, bedeviled, haunted, plagued, abashed, confounded, confused, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, jarred, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, shook up, daunted, demoralized, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited, unnerved
    opposite: calmed, composed, quieted, settled, soothed, tranquilized
    near: allayed, alleviated, assuaged, appeased, conciliated, mollified, pacified, placated, propitiated

Related Entry: Unsettle (verb)

Unsettle is a different word from Unsettled. The synonyms below are for unsettle, not for unsettled.

  1. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers"

    similar: agitate, ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, upset, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Unsettled

The most common words with a similar meaning to Unsettled:

Slang: hinky
capricious, changeable, changeful, fickle, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, unstable, unsteady, variable, volatile, outstanding, overdue, owed, owing, payable, unpaid, open, pending, undecided, undetermined, unresolved, distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, unconvinced, unsure, up in the air

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Unsettled

Words with the opposite meaning of Unsettled:

certain, changeless, constant, immutable, invariable, predictable, settled, stable, stationary, steady, unchangeable, unchanging, unvarying, cleared, liquidated, paid (off or up), repaid, decided, determined, resolved, convinced, positive, sure, calmed, composed, quieted, soothed, tranquilized

Related Words for Unsettled

aimless, arbitrary, desultory, erratic, haphazard, hit-or-miss, irregular, random, scattered, slapdash, stray, ambivalent, hesitating, shaky, shilly-shally, shilly-shallying, vacillating, wavering, dicey, undependable, unreliable, untrustworthy, adaptable, mobile, protean, versatile, due, mature, hanging, arguable

Near Antonyms of Unsettled

equable, even, uniform, abiding, durable, lasting, permanent, persistent, dependable, reliable, tried, tried-and-true, true, trustworthy, trusty, prepaid, confirmed, established, assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, decisive, resolute, allayed, alleviated, assuaged, appeased, conciliated, mollified

Word Forms of Unsettled

Derived words: unsettledness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Unsettled

First known use: 1550

Frequently Asked Questions about Unsettled

What does "Unsettled" mean?

"Unsettled" means not settled. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: not settled. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Unsettled"?

Other words for "Unsettled" include capricious, changeable, changeful, fickle, flickery, fluctuating, fluid and inconsistent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Unsettled" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Unsettled"?

There are 156 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Unsettled". Common alternatives include capricious, changeable, changeful, fickle, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant and mercurial.

What is the opposite of "Unsettled"?

Antonyms of "Unsettled" include certain, changeless, constant, immutable, invariable, predictable, settled and stable. Near antonyms include equable, even, uniform and abiding.

How do you use "Unsettled" in a sentence?

Examples of "Unsettled" in a sentence: "we've been having a lot of unsettled weather lately"; "I keep unsettled bills next to the checkbook"; "we can't move on as long as this important question remains unsettled".

Is "Unsettled" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Unsettled" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Unsettled"?

"Unsettled" is pronounced /ˌən-ˈse-tᵊld/ and divided into syllables as un·set·tled.

What is the origin of the word "Unsettled"?

First known use: 1550.