as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
I'm usually ill at ease when addressing a large crowd of people
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Recent Examples of ill at ease
Deep fault lines emerged in a society ill at ease with itself and aggrieved with the West.
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Laura Secor, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Former President Donald Trump stood in the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan Friday morning looking somehow ill at ease in his own building.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 2 June 2024
Still, Griffith often felt ill at ease with her position within the music industry.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Cinderella also becomes more ill at ease in the already-bad bosom of her lousy step-family (Jennifer Simard, Tess Soltau, Amy Hillner Larson) and falls into the arms — and independent mind — of rogue Original Fairy Godmother (Brooke Dillman).
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for ill at ease 
Laura Secor, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Former President Donald Trump stood in the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan Friday morning looking somehow ill at ease in his own building.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 2 June 2024
Still, Griffith often felt ill at ease with her position within the music industry.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Cinderella also becomes more ill at ease in the already-bad bosom of her lousy step-family (Jennifer Simard, Tess Soltau, Amy Hillner Larson) and falls into the arms — and independent mind — of rogue Original Fairy Godmother (Brooke Dillman).
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for ill at ease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill at ease
Adjective
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Still, some residents are worried about the drones.Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
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Lawmakers in New Jersey and beyond grew worried Friday about the now-regular spotting of drones over the state, with officials calling for answers and more transparency from federal agencies.The Hill, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Now the Eras Tour is ending, many are understandably upset that this sense of camaraderie is coming to a close.Callum Booth, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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Will the Bengals' defense finally back up Joe Burrow and company to get a win, or will the Cowboys keep their postseason hopes alive with an upset win in primetime?Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Farmers are anxious about the loss of farmland, and the Manx National Farmers’ Union has opposed plans elsewhere to convert agricultural land to rainforest.Christine Ro, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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This promise has left people in the area anxious about the deep impact new workplace raids could have on the community's psyche and the economy.Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Tyler Hines did such an amazing job of being a mentor this season, and a supporter for all of us nervous guys in the middle of a competition.Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
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Read more Auto giants are getting nervous about the prospect of mega fines as EV demand falters ‘Europe’s Detroit’ built a thriving car industry.Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In the weeks since the presidential election, the network’s primetime audience has fallen by about half, sparking scores of stories about a troubled operation.Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2024
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The 2017 film from director Nikolaj Arcel introduces audiences to Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor), a troubled teenager plagued by visions of a mysterious tower, a malevolent sorcerer and a lone gunslinger.Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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There’s no shortage of movies that have looked at Dylan’s music and his uneasy relationship to fame.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
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For history buffs, a deep dive into a pivotal period of Japanese history and the uneasy relationship between East and West.Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ill at ease
Cite this Entry
“Ill at ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill%20at%20ease. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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