ill at ease

adjective

: not feeling easy : uncomfortable

Examples of ill at ease in a Sentence

He seemed ill at ease when we spoke with him. I'm usually ill at ease when addressing a large crowd of people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition to making people feel ill at ease and exacerbating respiratory illnesses, the wind, combined with dry conditions, has elevated the fire risk across Texas. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025 Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025 There was little sign of chaos now, but Al-Rahy still seemed ill at ease. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025 Why is this beautiful woman so ill at ease on her way to church? Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ill at ease

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ill at ease was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ill at ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill%20at%20ease. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

ill at ease

adjective
: feeling uncomfortable
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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