Meanings
verbdestabilise (third-person singular simple present destabilises, present participle destabilising, simple past and past participle destabilised)
present singular third person destabilises · participle present destabilising · participle past destabilised · past destabilised · alternative US destabilize
- UKtransitiveTo make something unstable.
The route had been closed on December 30 2022, after heavy rain destabilised the foundations beneath more than 40 metres of the railway.
2023 January 25, “Network News: New stone shores up landslip at Carstairs”, in RAIL, number 975, page 14 - UKtransitiveTo undermine a government, especially by means of subversion or terrorism.
- UKintransitiveTo become unstable.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*de
- Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
- Proto-Italic*dē
- Latindē
- Latindē-
- Englishde-
- Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*sth₂éh₁yeti
- Proto-Italic*staējō
- Proto-Italic*staēō
- Proto-Italic*staðlis?
- Latinstabili
- Old Frenchestable
- Anglo-Normanstabe
- Middle Englishstable
- Englishstable
- Englishstabilise
- Englishdestabilise
Cite this entry
APA
destabilise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilise
MLA
“destabilise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilise. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “destabilise,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilise.
Source: destabilise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.