unsettling 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ
Definition of unsettlingnext
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region

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2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father

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unsettling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of unsettle
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unsettling
Adjective
These photographs hold a mirror up to our humanity in the most intimate and unsettling way. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026 The story delivers tender and tragic daggers to the heart through a series of unsettling encounters that expose the awkwardness of puberty. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
However unsettling these jactitations appear, the open world remains the happiest and freest place to live. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 In her first four months on the job, the new CEO of New York Public Radio has swiftly eliminated many of its seniormost figures, surprising the organization’s staff and unsettling some of its remaining leaders. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
  1. disturbing
  2. uneasy
  3. alarming
  4. troubling
  5. tense
  6. distracting
  7. frightening
  8. anxious
Adjective
  • Last awards season, the gossip around town, salacious and disturbing in equal measure, was that hotel suites all over Hollywood were populated by tailors taking in gowns coming straight off the runway.
    — Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The disturbing situation came to light after a tree fell on the home during a storm.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Kurt's key takeaways Hearing AI on a 911 call would make a lot of people uneasy.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Falwell correctly sensed vulnerability in the uneasy alliance between rationalism and Christianity that had prevailed since the eighteenth-century Enlightenment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Verb
  • The development proved alarming enough that OpenAI vowed last week to slow the release of its upcoming Astra AI model.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Found in many foods For consumers, of course, the latest food safety concerns can be alarming given that lettuce and jalapeño peppers are used in many of the roughly 1 billion meals Americans consume daily.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • Their affection feels genuine, which makes the fault lines beneath it more troubling.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But as the team recently spotted troubling signs during yet another training run of an unreleased model—one expected to deliver the biggest leap yet—a more consequential decision was made to pause it until new security measures were put in place.
    — Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubling
Adjective
  • After hours of argument that at times grew tense, a hearing Thursday ended without a ruling from Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, and the Tates were returned to jail.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In Danbury, protesters have had tense confrontations with ICE officers, who responded at least once with pepper spray, according to activists.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tense
Verb
  • The distracting Diwali fireworks distracted led to reshoots of the pivotal moment.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Not only are these sheer curtains over half off right now, but the subtle stripe adds just enough visual interest without distracting from your room’s overall design scheme.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • The thoughts that accompany these conditions can be alarming and frightening, making many women reluctant to talk about them or seek help.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There are frightening stories of swordfish charging boats, and even spearing their transoms and whacking propellers.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • History suggests that anxious allies who are not reassured by their more powerful patron will invest in their own defense.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For me, Sliman was pouring water on a dormant seed anxious to sprout.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxious

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Cite this Entry

“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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