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Glite Dictionary
😵‍💫 Unstable mood ⚗️ Easily changes
lability

lability

1 9.4
A tendency to change quickly, especially in mood or health
  • noun
  • /ləˈbɪləti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : labilidad
  • The symptoms Hofer described were lability of emotion, ready weeping, wasting away, despondency, and, in some cases, suicide.
  • emotional lability

Examples

  • He described his struggles with emotional lability during the therapy sessions, revealing the impact on his daily life.

  • He caught my look and explained, "A few patients with brain stem attacks have emotional lability."

    Fiction book (1997)

  • ME is typically thought to follow a viral infection and is also usually coupled with a number of neurological and psychological symptoms such as emotional lability, disturbed sleep patterns, and photophobia.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Nonetheless, symptoms of TBI often include combinations of emotional lability, insensitivity and egocentricity, withdrawal, disinhibition, aggression, and confrontational behavior.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The therapist noted that her emotional lability made it difficult for her to maintain stable relationships.

  • Patients with emotional lability may experience sudden shifts from happiness to sadness.

Synonyms

instability
vslability
114 5.1

A situation that changes easily and can fail, for example in politics

is focused mainly on changes in mood or mind rather than all areas
volatility
vslability
  • Specialized
49 7.1

How likely a person, situation, or market is to change quickly and unexpectedly

covers the same quick change idea but stresses mood and mind shifts
moodiness
vslability
5 4.3

Frequent changes in feelings that make someone sad, angry, or sulky

is broader, applying to many unstable conditions beyond emotions
fickleness
vslability
1 7.3

A habit of changing feelings or promises so people cannot trust someone

focuses more on internal mood and mental state changes than loyalties
capriciousness
vslability
1 8.9

A pattern of sudden, unpredictable changes in mood or plans

is similar but highlights general instability in mood or mind over suddenness
shiftiness
vslability
1 7.9

A movement that changes direction or strength and is hard to predict

is centered on unstable moods or mental states rather than directional change
unstableness
vslability
7.0

A state in which things are not firm or steady

is narrower, centering on changes in mood or mental condition
changeableness
vslability
7.6

A quality of becoming different often and without warning

highlights emotional or mental shifts rather than just frequent changes
changefulness
vslability
  • Archaic
7.5

How often something becomes different, like the weather

narrows this tendency to moods and mental conditions specifically
erraticism
vslability
8.4

Unpredictable and inconsistent behavior

points more to mood or mental variability rather than general irregularity
flightiness
vslability
8.1

A tendency to change plans or feelings suddenly without thinking

covers comparable instability but centers on emotional and mental fluctuations
unfixity
vslability
9.9

A habit of changing your mind, feelings, or plans

applies this lack specifically to moods and mental condition rather than decisions

Antonyms

stability
363 3.1

Being steady and not likely to change

consistency
77 3.2

The state of things or actions being the same and in agreement

How Changeable

volatility
  • Specialized
49 7.1
variability
29 5.7
lability
  • Specialized
1 9.4
stability
363 3.1
rigidity
  • Specialized
3 6.0

Surface Forms

lability singular
labilities plural

Morphology

lability = labile (transparent) = labile + ity

The word 'lability' is transparently derived from the adjective 'labile' with the suffix '-ity' denoting a state or quality.

Etymology

The word lability comes from the Latin labilis, from labere meaning 'to slip'. So, imagine moods that 'slip' or change easily, which is why lability means being unstable or likely to change.