unsteady

/ʌnˈstɛdi/

//ʌnˈstɛdi// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unsteady" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unsteady” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,497. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,497
frequency rank, English
23,789
“U” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not held firmly in position; physically unstable.

Key facts for unsteady
PropertyValue
Headwordunsteady
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ʌnˈstɛdi/
Letters8
Frequency rank#40,497
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “unsteady” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). unsteady lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around unsteady (IPA /ʌnˈstɛdi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #40,497 among 23,789 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for unsteady, with forms such as "nusteady", "unnsteady", and "unsetady". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc. The correct English form is unsteady, spelled U-N-S-T-E-A-D-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not held firmly in position; physically unstable.
  2. 2
    Lacking regularity or uniformity.
  3. 3
    Inconstant in purpose, or volatile in behavior.

Etymology

From un- + steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc.

Synonyms

precariousricketyshakychaoticirregularunstablefluidinstablerockyunsteadyvariablevarying

Antonyms

steady

This word in other languages

inestable(Español)unstet(Deutsch)instável(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nusteady
  • unnsteady
  • unsetady
  • unssteady
  • unstaedy
  • unsteaddy
  • unsteadyy
  • unsteayd
  • unsteday
  • unstteady
  • untseady
  • usnteady

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unsteady - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

nusteady2unnsteady1unsetady2unssteady1unstaedy2unsteaddy1unsteadyy1unsteayd2
Edit distance from "unsteady"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unsteady"?
"unsteady" is spelled U-N-S-T-E-A-D-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈstɛdi/.
What does "unsteady" mean?
As an adjective, "unsteady" means: Not held firmly in position; physically unstable.
What are common misspellings of "unsteady"?
Common misspellings include "nusteady", "unnsteady", "unsetady", "unssteady", "unstaedy". The correct spelling is "unsteady".
How do you pronounce "unsteady"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unsteady" is /ʌnˈstɛdi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unsteady"?
From un- + steady. Like steady, the word first appeared in English around 1530. The word is comparable to Old Frisian onstedich, Low German unstadig, etc. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “unsteady”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is U-N-S-T-E-A-D-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ʌnˈstɛdi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list