unsettled

adjective

un·​set·​tled ˌən-ˈse-tᵊld How to pronounce unsettled (audio)
: not settled: such as
a(1)
: not calm or tranquil : disturbed
unsettled political conditions
(2)
: likely to vary widely especially in the near future : variable
unsettled weather
(3)
: not settled down
unsettled dust
b(1)
: not decided or determined : doubtful
an unsettled state of mind
(2)
: not resolved or worked out : undecided
an unsettled question
c
: characterized by irregularity
an unsettled life
d
: not inhabited or populated
unsettled land
e
: not mentally sound
f(1)
: not disposed of according to law
an unsettled estate
(2)
: not paid or discharged
unsettled debts
unsettledness noun

Examples of unsettled in a Sentence

We have some unsettled business to attend to. we've been having a lot of unsettled weather lately
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Japan continues to protest Beijing's operation of some 20 structures in the East China Sea, where the two countries had agreed to jointly develop resources in areas where boundaries remain unsettled. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025 The line was one of the more questionable position groups heading into the season opener, with an unsettled lineup for most of fall camp. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025 Patrick Modiano’s grand theme is memory in unsettled times, with the characters in his novels caught between a mysterious past and a discordant present. Ruth Margalit, The New York Review of Books, 4 Sep. 2025 But as the war enters a new phase, with Israeli troops pushing into Gaza City, the central question of the war’s endgame remains unsettled. Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsettled

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettled was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsettled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettled. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

unsettled

adjective
un·​set·​tled ˌən-ˈset-ᵊld How to pronounce unsettled (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not settled : not fixed (as in position or nature)
unsettled weather
2
: not calm : disturbed
unsettled waters
3
: not decided in mind : undetermined
unsettled about what to do
4
: not paid
an unsettled account
5
: not lived in by settlers
an unsettled region

More from Merriam-Webster on unsettled

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