BusinessAugust 19, 2026
destabilizing
dee-STAY-buh-ly-zing
Definition
Causing something to become unstable, uncertain, or prone to collapse, especially in a financial or structural sense.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'stabilis' meaning 'firm' or 'steady' combined with the prefix 'de-' meaning 'to undo' and the suffix '-ize' for making an action. It entered English in the late 19th century to describe the act of depriving something of stability.
In the news
The word describes the potential negative impact of rising borrowing costs on the bond market. It highlights the urgency of Bessent's intervention to maintain economic order.
Bessent acts to break bond market fever, head off rising borrowing costs
Read the full article ↗The Washington Post