adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
rĕstʹlĭs
/ˈɹɛstlɪs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈɹɛstləs/weak vowel merger
CMU ARPABET:R EH1 S T L AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Not allowing or affording rest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The night before his wedding was a restless one.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Without rest; unable to be still or quiet; uneasy; continually moving.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was a restless child.
She sat, restless and nervous, and tried to concentrate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: antsy
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; averse to repose; eager for change; discontented.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A restless ambition.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Deprived of rest or sleep.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
They remained restless, sitting by the window the entire night.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
lacking or not affording physical or mental rest
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a restless night
she fell into an uneasy sleep
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: uneasy
Antonyms: restful
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
worried and uneasy
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ungratified, unsatisfied
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
ceaselessly in motion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the restless sea
the restless wind
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *rastō Proto-West Germanic *rastu Old English ræst Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Old English ræstlēas Middle English restles English restless From Middle English restles, restelees, from Old English ræstlēas, equivalent to rest + -less.
Across languages
Translations
89 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
неспокоен
(nespokoen)
— not allowing or affording rest
Catalan:
intranquil
— not allowing or affording rest
Chinese Mandarin:
不眠的
(bù mián de)
— not allowing or affording rest
Danish:
hvileløs
— not allowing or affording rest
Danish:
urolig
— not allowing or affording rest
Finnish:
levoton
— not allowing or affording rest
Finnish:
uneton
— not allowing or affording rest
French:
inquiet
— not allowing or affording rest
German:
unruhig
— not allowing or affording rest
Hindi:
चंचल
(cañcal)
— not allowing or affording rest
Hungarian:
nyugtalan
— not allowing or affording rest
Italian:
instancabile
— not allowing or affording rest
Māori:
whakariuka
— not allowing or affording rest
Māori:
tūrama
— not allowing or affording rest
Māori:
tūramarama
— not allowing or affording rest
Norwegian Bokmål:
hvileløs
— not allowing or affording rest
Norwegian Bokmål:
urolig
— not allowing or affording rest
Polish:
bez odpoczynku
— not allowing or affording rest
Portuguese:
desassossegado
— not allowing or affording rest
Russian:
беспоко́йный
(bespokójnyj)
— not allowing or affording rest
Russian:
трево́жный
(trevóžnyj)
— not allowing or affording rest
Scottish Gaelic:
mì-shuaimhneach
— not allowing or affording rest
Bulgarian:
който не може да си намери място
(kojto ne može da si nameri mjasto)
— unable to be still or quiet
Catalan:
inquiet
— unable to be still or quiet
Chinese Mandarin:
坐不住的
(zuòbuzhù de)
— unable to be still or quiet
Chinese Mandarin:
浮躁
(fúzào)
— unable to be still or quiet
Czech:
neklidný
— unable to be still or quiet
Danish:
rastløs
— unable to be still or quiet
Danish:
urolig
— unable to be still or quiet
Dutch:
rusteloos
— unable to be still or quiet
Esperanto:
malkvieta
— unable to be still or quiet
Finnish:
levoton
— unable to be still or quiet
French:
agité
— unable to be still or quiet
German:
unruhig
— unable to be still or quiet
German:
rastlos
— unable to be still or quiet
Greek:
ανήσυχος
(anísychos)
— unable to be still or quiet
Hebrew:
חֲסַר מָנוֹחַ
(ẖasár manóaẖ)
— unable to be still or quiet
Hindi:
चंचल
(cañcal)
— unable to be still or quiet
Ingrian:
raisu
— unable to be still or quiet
Irish:
luaineach
— unable to be still or quiet
Irish:
aistreach
— unable to be still or quiet
Italian:
irrequieto
— unable to be still or quiet
Latin:
inquiēs
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
kanae
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
toropuku
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
titoro
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
tāwheta
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
ārewa
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
tiu
— unable to be still or quiet
Māori:
tourepa
— unable to be still or quiet
Norwegian Bokmål:
rastløs
— unable to be still or quiet
Norwegian Bokmål:
urolig
— unable to be still or quiet
Norwegian Nynorsk:
rastlaus
— unable to be still or quiet
Persian:
بیقرار
(bi-qarâr)
— unable to be still or quiet
Polish:
niespokojny
— unable to be still or quiet
Portuguese:
inquieto
— unable to be still or quiet
Romanian:
neliniștit
— unable to be still or quiet
Romanian:
agitat
— unable to be still or quiet
Russian:
беспоко́йный
(bespokójnyj)
— unable to be still or quiet
Russian:
неугомо́нный
(neugomónnyj)
— unable to be still or quiet
Scottish Gaelic:
siùbhlach
— unable to be still or quiet
Scottish Gaelic:
an-fhoiseil
— unable to be still or quiet
Spanish:
inquieto
— unable to be still or quiet
Ukrainian:
неспокі́йний
(nespokíjnyj)
— unable to be still or quiet
Bulgarian:
нетърпелив
(netǎrpeliv)
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Chinese Mandarin:
坐不住的
(zuòbuzhù de)
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Chinese Mandarin:
不安於現狀的 /不安于现状的
(bù ānyúxiànzhuàng de)
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Finnish:
levoton
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
German:
ruhelos
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
German:
rastlos
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Hungarian:
nyughatatlan
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Ingrian:
raisu
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Latin:
implacidus
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Māori:
taoi
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Norwegian Bokmål:
rastløs
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Polish:
niezaspokojony
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Portuguese:
incansável
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Scottish Gaelic:
siùbhlach
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Scottish Gaelic:
an-fhoiseil
— not satisfied to be at rest or peace
Catalan:
desvetllat
— deprived of rest or sleep
Chinese Mandarin:
難以入睡的 /难以入睡的
(zuòbuzhù de)
— deprived of rest or sleep
Chinese Mandarin:
不安于现状的
(nányǐ rùshuì de)
— deprived of rest or sleep
Danish:
hvileløs
— deprived of rest or sleep
Esperanto:
senripoza
— deprived of rest or sleep
Finnish:
levoton
— deprived of rest or sleep
Ingrian:
raisu
— deprived of rest or sleep
Norwegian Bokmål:
hvileløs
— deprived of rest or sleep
Plautdietsch:
schloplooss
— deprived of rest or sleep
Polish:
bez odpoczynku
— deprived of rest or sleep