ill at ease


Uncomfortable, uneasy, as in Large parties made him feel ill at ease. [c. 1300] For an antonym, see at ease.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

How to use ill at ease in a sentence

  • He seemed a bit ill-at-ease at first but warmed to the task as the briefing went on.

    Jay Carney's White House Debut | Lloyd Grove | February 16, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Tressan was monstrous ill-at-ease, and his face lost a good deal of its habitual plethora of colour.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • Cathcart coughed and was obviously ill-at-ease, but he answered with some show of dignity.

    A Millionaire of Yesterday | E. Phillips Oppenheim
  • They will remain ill-at-ease until, somewhere in the heights where Mediunah is preparing for another day, a cock crows.

    Morocco | S.L. Bensusan
  • He was ill-at-ease, almost incoherent at moments, and it was a long time before she could discover his business.

    Jack O' Judgment | Edgar Wallace
  • He was spending his declining years in the arduous but surprisingly successful task of being wretched, irritable and ill-at-ease.

    No Clue | James Hay