uhn-STAY-buhl
/ənˈsteɪbəl/
unstable is pronounced uhn-STAY-buhl (/ənˈsteɪbəl/). Unstable means not firmly fixed or likely to change or fail; prone to variation, disturbance, or instability. It describes something lacking steadiness or reliability, such as an unstable market, an unstable structure, or an unstable emotional state, where conditions are unpredictable and potentially volatile.
Unstable means not firmly fixed or likely to change or fail; prone to variation, disturbance, or instability. It describes something lacking steadiness or reliability, such as an unstable market, an unstable structure, or an unstable emotional state, where conditions are unpredictable and potentially volatile.
"The ground beneath the old tower was unstable, so engineers recommended temporary supports."
"Her mood was unstable after the long flight and she found it hard to concentrate."
"The currency was unstable due to political uncertainty and market rumors."
Pronounce as /ʌnˈsteɪ.bəl/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: un-STAY-bul. Start with /ʌ/ as in 'cup', then /n/; the second syllable features /ˈsteɪ/ with the long A sound as in 'stain', followed by /bəl/ with a light, quick /l/ release; end with a soft /ɚ/ equivalent in non-rhotic accents. Listen for two clear beats: “un-STAY” and “bul.”
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying un-STABLE or UN-stable; keep primary stress on -stay-. (2) Slurring the -ble ending into /əl/ or /bəl/ with a weak vowel; aim for a crisp /bəl/. (3) Not distinguishing /steɪ/ from /stɛ/—use the long A /eɪ/ as in 'stay'. Practicing with minimal pairs like stay/bay can help fix the /eɪ/; ensure the /l/ isn’t too dark or silent. Correct by exaggerating the second syllable in slow practice, then normal speed.
US/UK/AU share the /ʌnˈsteɪ.bəl/ skeleton, but vowel quality differs: US often has a clearer /ɪ/ or /ə/ in unstressed syllables; UK may preserve a slightly sharper /ə/ in -ble and less rhotic influence on the final -l; AU tends toward a broader vowel in /æ/ before /l/ in some speakers and a more clipped final /l/. Rhoticity is minimal in AU and UK, more American in US; the /ɹ/ is not strongly produced in non-rhotic variants, so endings sound lighter.
Unstable challenges your ability to coordinate a multi-phoneme sequence: the combination of /ən/ + /ˈsteɪ/ + /bəl/ requires a precise vowel length and a clear /t/ release before a strong /eɪ/ diphthong; the final /əl/ can blend quickly in casual speech, risking loss of the /l/ or turning into a syllabic /l/. Also, the stress on the second syllable makes it easy to misplace emphasis in rapid speech. Slow, deliberate practice helps fix both segmental accuracy and timing.
Because it’s a two-consonant onset word with a stressed long diphthong, many speakers wonder if 'unstable' ever has a silent letter. It does not: all letters contribute to pronunciation. The key is pronouncing the /n/ after the /u/ clearly, then delivering /ˈsteɪ/ with a strong vowel before the /b/; finally, the -ble ending requires a light, controlled /l/. There’s no silent letter; you simply need a crisp /l/ and a non-silent /b/.
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Unstable comes from the prefix un- meaning ‘not’ or ‘opposite of’, and stable, which derives from Latin stabilis meaning ‘stable, firm’ from stāre ‘to stand’. The term stable was extended in English by the 16th century to describe things that are fixed or steady; adding un- formed unstable to denote the opposite. The concept migrated from tangible stability (structures, markets) to abstract steadiness (emotional or situational steadiness). Over time, unstable evolved to cover both physical and figurative contexts (e.g., unstable equilibrium in science, unstable politics). The first known usages of unstable date to Early Modern English, aligning with the period’s scientific and social vocabulary expansion. Today, unstable regularly appears in technical, economic, and psychological discussions, retaining its core sense of lack of fixedness, reliability, or predictability while broadening to more nuanced gradations of risk and volatility.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unstable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "unstable"
-ble sounds
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