restlessness

noun

Definition of restlessnessnext
1
as in turmoil
a disturbed or uneasy state the restlessness of the crowd was apparent as it waited to learn whether the football player was seriously injured

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boredom
the state of being bored she began to pick at the grass near her hammock out of sheer restlessness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of restlessness This could, in turn, trigger feelings of restlessness and irritability, not to mention the lack of clarity brought on by the moon transiting this Water sign. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026 Standing on opposite sides of the protests, the pair fall for each other despite the divide, recognizing in one another a restlessness neither can quite name. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 July 2026 Awash in restlessness, Sugar thinks of Chuy’s mother, Sandra, someone who could identify other players in the Fire Sale operation. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 17 July 2026 Generalized anxiety may manifest itself in depression, compulsion or restlessness. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 But Field, whose perpetual restlessness had driven his climb to business success, wasn’t suited to sit on the sidelines. — Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2026 Psychologists who study cognitive ability and thinking styles have found that certain forms of restlessness aren’t incidental to a sharp mind. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 And again… The Wave is usually a sign of crowd restlessness, a move for fans to entertain themselves when they aren’t being entertained by the event in front of them. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 June 2026 Beginning with the pilot, there’s also been an appealing restlessness to Kate, a loose physicality and prideful disregard for glamour. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restlessness
  1. turmoil
  2. boredom
  3. unrest
  4. excitement
Noun
  • In the final weeks of the campaign, after some unprecedented turmoil caused another candidate to drop out, that alternative became Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
    — Clay Masters, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • And yet, there’s a halo of chaos that surrounds Rhaenyra — an electric current of turmoil that’s too constant not to be her fault.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • Here are three of those habits, and why the boredom is doing the work.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Let’s let go of the self-identification with boredom or over-stimulation claiming to overshadow our path to progress.
    — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of boredom
Noun
  • Xenophobic unrest in South Africa, where violent mobs have forced thousands of African foreigners to flee the country, has thrust migration into the spotlight.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • This led to civil unrest and paved the way for new leadership.
    — Mike Patton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • Despite her excitement, Reynolds admits joining such a beloved series came with plenty of pressure.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • DaCosta said that Moore greeted students with excitement every day as parents dropped them off.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of excitement

Browse Nearby Words

restless
restlessness
restoral
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Restlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restlessness. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on restlessness

Nglish: Translation of restlessness for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All