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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Uneasy: Definition, Usage, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：feel anxious (uneasy)

uneasy 🔊

/ʌnˈiːzi/

adj.

Feeling worried, nervous, or uncomfortable about something. You can't fully relax.

Uneasy feeling illustrated by a person showing anxiety and restlessness in a dim room.

feel anxious 🔊

➕

/fiːl ˈæŋkʃəs/

adj.

Describes a feeling of worry, nervousness, or discomfort that prevents relaxation.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'un-' (meaning 'not') + 'easy', so 'not easy' or 'lacking ease'.

💡 Mnemonic

Remember: 'uneasy' = 'not easy', so feeling uneasy means not at ease.

📖 Example

She felt uneasy about the upcoming exam, even though she had studied hard. 🔊 She experienced anxiety about the exam despite thorough preparation.

🔗 Collocations

feel uneasy – to experience nervousness or discomfort

uneasy feeling – a sense of worry or unease

uneasy silence – a tense or uncomfortable quietness

🔄 Synonyms

nervous (adj.) – feeling or showing anxiety or tension

anxious (adj.) – experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness

restless (adj.) – unable to rest or relax due to discomfort

🚫 Antonyms

calm (adj.) – peaceful, untroubled, and free from agitation

relaxed (adj.) – free from tension, stress, or anxiety

🌱 Derivatives

uneasily (adv.) – in a nervous or uncomfortable manner

uneasiness (n.) – the state of being uneasy or anxious

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Middle English, combining 'un-' (not) with 'easy'. Commonly used to describe psychological discomfort or tense social situations, like in 'uneasy peace' in diplomacy.

Meaning 2：tense peace (uneasy)

uneasy 🔊

/ʌnˈiːzi/

adj.

Describing a situation or relationship that is not stable, tense, and could potentially become a problem.

Uneasy peace symbolized by two coiled snakes in a tense, balanced confrontation.

tense peace 🔊

➕

/tens piːs/

adj.

Describes a situation or relationship that is unstable, tense, and potentially problematic.

📁 Category：Countries & Government 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

There has been an uneasy peace between the two rival companies since their last lawsuit. 🔊 A fragile and tense peace has existed between the competing firms after their legal dispute.

🔗 Collocations

uneasy peace – a fragile state of non-conflict that may not last

uneasy alliance – a tense and potentially unstable partnership

uneasy truce – a temporary and unstable ceasefire

🔄 Synonyms

tense (adj.) – showing nervous tension or strain

fragile (adj.) – easily broken, damaged, or disrupted

precarious (adj.) – not securely held or in position; dangerously unstable

🚫 Antonyms

stable (adj.) – firmly established and not likely to change or falter

secure (adj.) – free from danger, threat, or instability

🌱 Derivatives

uneasily (adv.) – in a manner that reflects tension or instability

uneasiness (n.) – the state of being uneasy, especially in social or political contexts