instability
n. C / Un. a state where things are likely to change, fail, or collapse suddenly. You use this to describe situations that are not steady or safe.
n. a state of being prone to sudden change, failure, or erratic behaviour. Often describes systems, structures, or conditions that lack equilibrium or structural integrity.
The country is facing a period of political instability.
Engineers were concerned about the structural instability of the bridge after the heavy floods damaged its foundation.
The sudden drop in interest rates created significant instability in the housing market, leading many investors to withdraw their capital until prices reached a new equilibrium.
From Middle French instabilité, from Latin instabilitas. Morphologically in- + stability.
Uncountable when referring to the general state of being unstable; countable when referring to specific instances or types of erratic behaviour.