Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Characterized by a lack of quiet, repose, or rest.
  • adjective Not able to rest, relax, or be still.
  • adjective Having or showing a persistent desire for change or action.
  • adjective Never still or motionless.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Without rest.
  • Unresting; unquiet; uneasy; continually moving or agitated.
  • Marked by unrest: as, a restless night.
  • Unquiet; not satisfied to be at rest or in peace: as, a restless politician; restless ambition; restless passions.
  • Inclined to agitation; turbulent: as, restless subjects.
  • Unsettled; disposed to wander or to change place or condition.
  • Not affording rest; uneasy.
  • Synonyms (a–c) Disturbed, disquieted, agitated, anxious.
  • Roving, wandering, unstable, fickle.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Never resting; unquiet; uneasy; continually moving.
  • adjective Not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; averse to repose or quiet; eager for change; discontented.
  • adjective Deprived of rest or sleep.
  • adjective Passed in unquietness.
  • adjective Not affording rest.
  • adjective (Zoöl.) See Grinder, 3.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Not allowing or affording rest.
  • adjective Without rest; unable to be still or quiet; uneasy; continually moving.
  • adjective Not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; averse to repose; eager for change; discontented.
  • adjective Deprived of rest or sleep.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking or not affording physical or mental rest
  • adjective worried and uneasy
  • adjective ceaselessly in motion

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

rest +‎ -less

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word restless.

Examples

  • GREMILLION: Leg cramping during the evening could be what we call restless leg syndrome.

    CNN Transcript Jun 15, 2003 2003

  • Sometimes it is the only calm place in restless times.

    Welcome to the World 2008

  • The natives are gettin 'restless, they want to put you in a huge cauldron and cook ya!!

    Obama wins Guam by 7 votes 2008

  • He identifies a group of voters he calls restless and anxious moderates who are disenchanted and even alienated by the two parties.

    Archive 2008-02-01 Tripp 2008

  • He identifies a group of voters he calls restless and anxious moderates who are disenchanted and even alienated by the two parties.

    Meeting in the middle Tripp 2008

  • Ps sif at her hoosetop tossing in restless casis, the natal indiscipline smarted back to her, and in memory she again unscarred in show-bench.

    Think Progress » Alito: The Christmas Candidate 2005

  • The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went.

    A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Stave 1 Marley’s Ghost | Solar Flare: Science Fiction News 2004

  • Motolinia wrote a letter to in which he dealt severely with the accusations of Las Casas, whom he described as a restless, turbulent man, who wandered from one colony to another, provoking disturbances and scandals.

    Bartholomew de Las Casas; his life, apostolate, and writings Francis Augustus MacNutt

  • Toward night they would assemble in restless groups and fill the echoing gorge with their hoarse, savage cries.

    Indiana 1900

  • Meanwhile, at home the widow walked the floor in restless, joyous anticipation, or went to the door and strained her eyes up the road to watch for Traverse, and perhaps for some one else's coming.

    The Hidden Hand 1888

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.