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
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.
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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
Everyone’s talking about it, or feeling ill at ease for knowing nothing about it.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes, 5 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for ill at ease 
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
Everyone’s talking about it, or feeling ill at ease for knowing nothing about it.
—Bill Conerly, Forbes, 5 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for ill at ease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill at ease
Adjective
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Ben Affleck is not worried about AI taking over Hollywood.Zack Sharf, Variety, 18 Nov. 2024
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At the same time, Democrats hoped that all their voters would be willing to cast their ballot for democracy, not realizing that many working-class Americans, even the liberal ones, are more worried about the economy and inflation.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The post-election dynamic is reminiscent of a famous gathering of tech titans at Trump Tower in December 2016, a month after Trump’s first upset win in a presidential race, when some of the same executives braced themselves for unpredictable policy shifts.David Ingram, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
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Expert: Show respect, compassion to those with differing views In addition to taking a potential toll on cardiovascular health, stress can cause fatigue, headaches and an upset stomach.Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Boutin has been in remission from thyroid cancer since August, but just had a related surgery last week and the couple was anxious about Boutin inhaling any smoke.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Joe Biden lost North Carolina by just over one percentage point in 2020, but Harris has been tied or ahead in several recent polls there, and the Trump campaign has been increasingly anxious about it.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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There’s really nothing to be nervous about, just the optics of everything.Peter A. Berry, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2024
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Still, Trump kept Republicans nervous by mixing in messages of grievance up until the very end of the race, veering off a script on inflation and immigration that operatives believed was more effective in winning over persuadable voters.Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Considering this troubled young woman’s history, your husband has made a big mistake by fostering her dependence on him.Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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There’s always a possibility that, in these troubled times, escapist blockbusters like Wicked, Gladiator II, and Dune: Part Two will find favor with a demoralized and weary audience.Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That raises uneasy questions about Worthington’s social fabric and how to celebrate distinct cultures while overcoming ethnic self-segregation.Giovanna Dell'orto, Twin Cities, 31 Oct. 2024
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Apostates ties hunters with these organizations more closely as uneasy allies, rivals or even direct antagonists.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 24 Oct. 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 24 Nov. 2024.
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