Words / C1

un-STAYBL/ʌnˈsteɪbl/

Unstable means likely to change, fail, or collapse: an unstable government, an unstable rota. Unsteady is milder and often physical; stable sits opposite. Agile is a culture word; a hole on the grid is cover.

Meaning

Likely to change, fail, or collapse.

Examples

• “An unstable night rota is a cover failure, not “agile culture”.”
• “Unsteady is milder. Precarious is a close twin. Culture is a story. A name on a night cell is cover. Write the name; keep agile for the away-day.”

Good to know

Likely to fail or collapse. Close: precarious. Agile copy ≠ cover.

Near in meaning

precarious

New