disquietude: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (C2/Advanced)Formal, Literary, Academic
Quick answer
What does “disquietude” mean?
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or mental unrest.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or mental unrest.
A formal or literary term for a persistent feeling of worry or apprehension that disturbs one's peace of mind; often implies a deeper, more profound anxiety than temporary worry.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is broadly similar, though slightly more prevalent in British literary and formal contexts. In American English, 'disquiet' is often preferred.
Connotations
In both varieties, connotes a formal, almost old-fashioned literary quality. May sound deliberate or stylized in modern speech.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday speech in both regions. Found in formal writing, philosophy, literary analysis, and historical texts.
Grammar
How to Use “disquietude” in a Sentence
disquietude about/over/regarding [noun phrase]disquietude that [clause]disquietude among [group]a disquietude of [abstract noun] (e.g., a disquietude of spirit)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “disquietude” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The obscure news report disquieted the populace, leading to widespread disquietude.
American English
- The policy change disquieted many employees, creating an atmosphere of disquietude.
adverb
British English
- He glanced disquietedly out the window, his disquietude growing by the minute.
American English
- She paced disquietedly, a clear sign of her inner disquietude.
adjective
British English
- She gave a disquieted sigh, her disquietude obvious to all.
American English
- His disquieted expression mirrored the general disquietude in the room.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal reports about market sentiment: 'The CEO's remarks injected a note of disquietude among investors.'
Academic
Used in humanities (literature, philosophy, history) to describe characters' states or societal moods: 'The novel explores the disquietude of the post-war generation.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound unusually formal.
Technical
Not typical in STEM. Possible in psychology or sociology in a non-clinical, descriptive sense.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “disquietude”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “disquietude”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “disquietude”
- Using it in casual conversation. *'I had some disquietude about the meeting.' (Incorrect register)
- Confusing with 'disquiet' (noun). While similar, 'disquietude' is less common and often implies a more personal, internalized state.
- Misspelling: *disquitude, *disquietitude.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a more formal and literary synonym, but it often implies a deeper, more lingering, and sometimes more abstract state of anxiety than the everyday 'worry'.
It is almost exclusively used as an uncountable noun. 'Disquietudes' is extremely rare and would refer to multiple distinct sources or types of anxiety in a very stylized context.
They are very close. 'Disquiet' is more common and can be a noun or verb. 'Disquietude' is solely a noun, is more formal/literary, and often emphasizes the enduring state or feeling itself.
It's /tjuːd/ in careful British English (like 'attitude') and /t(j)uːd/ in American English, where the /j/ sound is often dropped, making it sound like 'tood'.
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or mental unrest.
Disquietude is usually formal, literary, academic in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A shadow of disquietude fell over the gathering.”
- “He was unable to shake off his disquietude.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DIS-QUIET-itude'. It's the formal 'state' (-itude) of having your quiet (peace) taken away (dis-), leading to unease.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISTURBANCE IS A LACK OF QUIET / ANXIETY IS A BURDEN (e.g., 'a weight of disquietude').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'disquietude' LEAST appropriate?