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
1,433
“U” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not held firmly in position; physically unstable.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unsteady · unsteady · English

unsteady · rank #40,497 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #40,497
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH unmet

Nearest frequency peer: unmet (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unsteady”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unsteady” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unsteady
PropertyValue
Headwordunsteady
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ʌnˈstɛdi/
Letters8
Frequency rank#40,497
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unsteady”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “unmet” (#40,496), “untied” (#40,498), “unturned” (#40,499). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unsteady” is #40,497. 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 1,433 “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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unsteady appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A slightly unsteady item of furniture.
  2. "Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day:[…]"

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unsteady", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

unturned#40,499unfunded#40,493wagering#40,512thieving#40,477

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

teardrop12 variantswinehouse12 variantssurrogacy12 variantsamicably12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list