destabilize

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UK/diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/Philippines/dɪˈstæbɪlaɪz/

verb

To make something unstable.

Opposite
UncommonScrabble 23

Meanings

verbdestabilize (third-person singular simple present destabilizes, present participle destabilizing, simple past and past participle destabilized)

present singular third person destabilizes · participle present destabilizing · participle past destabilized · past destabilized · alternative UK destabilise

  1. transitiveTo make something unstable.

    When the buoyancy destabilizes the flow, it alters the electroconvective patterns by introducing upward and downward fingers of respectively light and heavy fluid.

    2016, Elif Karatay, Matthias Wessling, Ali Mani, “On the coupling between buoyancy forces and electroconvective instability near ion-selective surfaces”, in arXiv
    3 more examples

    As part of its application, Macy's submitted "balloon control plans" describing how handlers, under the direction of a "pilot," were to navigate through intersections, where crosswinds can destabilize the balloons.

    2005 November 27, Sewell Chan, “Site of Balloon Accident Is Known for Its Crosswinds”, in The New York Times

    Fragments of laminin chains can act as biologically active peptides to perturb the blood–testis barrier (BTB) permeability function by accelerating protein endocytosis (e.g., occludin) at the site, thereby destabilizing the BTB integrity to facilitate the transit of preleptotene spermatocytes.

    2015 August 26, “A Catalog of Proteins Expressed in the AG Secreted Fluid during the Mature Phase of the Chinese Mitten Crabs ( Eriocheir sinensis )”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI

    When the price of Luna plummeted in May, TerraUSD fell in tandem — a “death spiral” that destabilized the broader market and plunged some investors into financial ruin.

    2022 June 14, David Yaffe-Bellany, Erin Griffith, “‘The Music Has Stopped’: Crypto Firms Quake as Prices Fall”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
  2. intransitiveTo become unstable.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbbecome unstable

Opposite
Broader

verbmake unstable

Opposite
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*sth₂éh₁yeti
  9. Proto-Italic*staējō
  10. Proto-Italic*staēō
  11. Proto-Italic*staðlis?
  12. Latinstabili
  13. Old Frenchestable
  14. Anglo-Normanstabe
  15. Middle Englishstable
  16. Englishstable
  17. Englishstabilize
  18. Englishdestabilize

From de- + stabilize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan desestabilitzar
  • desestabilitzarto make something unstable
Chinese Mandarin 動搖 /动摇
  • 動搖 /动摇 (dòngyáo)to make something unstable
Dutch destabiliseren
  • destabiliserento make something unstable
Finnish horjuttaa, tehdä epävakaaksi
  • horjuttaato make something unstable
  • tehdä epävakaaksito make something unstable
  • epävakauttaato make something unstable
  • horjuato become unstable
  • tulla epävakaaksito become unstable
  • epävakautuato become unstable
French déstabiliser, se déstabiliser
  • déstabiliserto make something unstable
  • se déstabiliserto become unstable
German destabilisieren, sich destabilisieren
  • destabilisierento make something unstable
  • sich destabilisierento become unstable
Hungarian destabilizál
  • destabilizálto make something unstable
Italian destabilizzare
  • destabilizzareto make something unstable
Polish destabilizować, zdestabilizować
  • destabilizowaćto make something unstable
  • zdestabilizowaćto make something unstable
  • destabilizować sięto become unstable
  • zdestabilizować sięto become unstable
Russian дестабилизи́ровать, дестабилизи́роваться
  • дестабилизи́ровать (destabilizírovatʹ)to make something unstable
  • дестабилизи́роваться (destabilizírovatʹsja)to become unstable
Spanish desestabilizar
  • desestabilizarto make something unstable
Swedish destabilisera
  • destabiliserato make something unstable
Ukrainian дестабілізува́ти
  • дестабілізува́ти (destabilizuváty)to make something unstable
Cite this entry
APA

destabilize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilize

MLA

“destabilize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “destabilize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destabilize.

Source: destabilize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.