labile

adjective

la·bile ˈlā-ˌbī(-ə)l

-bəl

: readily or continually undergoing chemical, physical, or biological change or breakdown : unstable

a labile mineral

: readily open to change

has so labile a face that some of her scenes … rock with emotion

Manny Farber

lability

lā-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web In its particulars, that work prefigured much that was to come: public, politically labile, made with sparse means and leaving no object behind.

New York Times, 4 Dec. 2021 Jesse’s behavior is labile, an adjective that sounds precise but turns out to be little more than a clinical term for emotions that are all over the place.

Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2021 Arias, an exciting and emotionally labile actor, makes Anna a jittery creature, like a woman in the constant throes of a low-grade fever.

Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2020 Indeed people who suffer from labile epilepsy, end-stage emphysema, or exquisite peanut allergies requiring immediate EpiPen availability should not be left to suffer the tragic dilemma of Alec Smith.

Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 9 June 2019 But cancers are both heterogeneous and labile; elsewhere in a tumour, and later in a tumour’s progression, things may look different.

The Economist, 16 Sep. 2017 But cancers are both heterogeneous and labile

The Economist, 16 Sep. 2017 Yes, both Mr. Spector and Ms. Hall are dynamic, intelligent and emotionally labile.

Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 25 May 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'labile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.