Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An uneasy or troubled condition; unease or discontent.
  • noun A condition of social disturbance, often involving demonstrations or rioting.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To disturb; deprive of rest.
  • noun Lack of rest or quietude, physical or mental.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Want of rest or repose; unquietness; sleeplessness; uneasiness; disquietude.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A state of trouble, confusion and turbulence, especially in a political context; a time of riots, demonstrations and protests.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a feeling of restless agitation
  • noun a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From un- + rest.

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Examples

  • [313] The materials in which the term unrest is used in the sense indicated are in the popular discussions of social questions.

    Introduction to the Science of Sociology Robert Ezra Park 1926

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Civil unrest is more a threat to this country with each passing day the Obama administration rams their agenda down our throats.

    Specter gets special police protection 2009

  • Practically, the risk to us of social unrest is too horrific to even consider.

    Doug Schoen: An Unspoken National Crisis Doug Schoen 2010

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

  • Yes we have 4 seats for all the post season games up through the World Series (should we make it again this year) and unrest is relentless!!!

    Page 2 2009

Comments

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  • As in "It's people like you what cause unrest.".

    November 25, 2007

  • "Tibetan exile groups say security forces fired on crowds of civilians, killing at least eight people. The violence comes weeks after unrest swept through Tibetan areas and Beijing responded with a security crackdown.

    Protests were peaceful initially, but later turned violent and ethnic Chinese were targeted. Tibetan exile groups say Chinese security forces killed dozens of protesters. Beijing says about 19 people were killed in rioting."

    - 'China confirms new Tibetan riots', BBC website, 4 April 2008.

    April 5, 2008