How to Use unstable in a Sentence

unstable

adjective
  • Cliff edges are unstable and there are a lot of loose rocks on the top of these high places.
    — Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE.com, 17 June 2021
  • Watch your step and avoid weak or unstable flooring.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
  • As the front moves into very warm, unstable air, some storms could turn severe.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
  • But the supply is still unstable.
    — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 13 June 2026
  • The ground of truth in this story is as unstable as its watery setting.
    — Washington Post, 27 June 2021
  • This results in a top-heavy design that may feel a little unstable at times.
    — Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2023
  • Many of us are struggling to cope with these unstable times and seeking some sort of comfort.
    — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 1 Feb. 2022
  • Heavy snow may overload weak snow layers causing the snow to be unstable.
    — Sara Tabin, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Feb. 2021
  • These are critical times for unstable programs in this meat-grinder of a league.
    — Joseph Goodman | [email protected], al, 17 Sep. 2022
  • The three go to war over the Lover, but their identities prove unstable.
    — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
  • In some of the unstable school buildings there are deep holes in foundations.
    — Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Feb. 2022
  • But then he got trapped when the canyon became steep and unstable, park officials said.
    — Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 20 Jan. 2025
  • The twinkling effect is caused by the unstable state of the air through which a star's light must pass to reach our eyes.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Ice sheets are at a much higher risk of becoming unstable.
    — Hannah Ritchie, Big Think, 24 Feb. 2026
  • But the result will be an unstable mix of crackdowns, loopholes, and crises.
    — Jonathan Portes, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Pacheco says many of the clients grew up in unstable living conditions.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Aerosol cans can become unstable in both hot and cold conditions.
    — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Her fever got higher and higher, and her heart became unstable.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Crews have demolished the building, which was made unstable by the fire.
    — Matt Cavallo, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • Avoid overloading the boat – too much weight can make a vessel unstable.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • Avoid overloading the boat – too much weight can make a vessel unstable.
    — Doug Myers, CBS News, 27 June 2026
  • This gives the air a negative charge and creates an unstable air mass in the lower part of the cloud.
    — Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 5 July 2024
  • In some cases, unstable shelter and food.
    — Alan J. Borsuk, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Tenure at the top of the greasy pole can be as slippery and unstable as the ascent—and the slide down is quick and painful.
    — Gerard Baker, WSJ, 7 Feb. 2022
  • Most of the people with the dragons are either unstable or idiots, or both.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • There are people who have lived here long enough to really see it from the inside and how unstable things are.
    — Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2022
  • That nearby pocket of unstable air acts like fuel.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The fresh snow had not yet settled and the surface was extremely unstable.
    — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2021
  • The wrong shoes can even cause biomechanical issues like back pain and unstable gait.
    — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel and face an unstable future.
    — Brian Lee, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unstable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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