unsettle
verb
un·set·tle
ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl 
unsettled; unsettling; unsettles
1
: to loosen or move from a settled state or condition : make unstable : disorder
A mild aftershock unsettled several more structures.
2
: to perturb or agitate mentally or emotionally : discompose
Such a sudden change will only unsettle her.
: to become unsettled
Synonyms of unsettle
Examples of unsettle in a Sentence
Such a sudden change will unsettle her.
the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers
Recent Examples on the Web
Widespread haze from wildfire smoke in Colorado and Utah will also filter into the region at times, potentially reducing visibility and adding to already unsettled atmospheric conditions.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
With the room behind Achane still unsettled, Miami enters camp looking for someone to make a jump.
—
Tyler M. Carmona,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
However unsettling these jactitations appear, the open world remains the happiest and freest place to live.
—
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ever-deepening defense alliance with China, India’s principal strategic competitor, has unsettled New Delhi, particularly given that Islamabad deployed Chinese weapons against Indian forces for the first time during the 2025 conflict.
—
Michael Kugelman,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
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Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
With the room behind Achane still unsettled, Miami enters camp looking for someone to make a jump.
—
Tyler M. Carmona,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
However unsettling these jactitations appear, the open world remains the happiest and freest place to live.
—
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ever-deepening defense alliance with China, India’s principal strategic competitor, has unsettled New Delhi, particularly given that Islamabad deployed Chinese weapons against Indian forces for the first time during the 2025 conflict.
—
Michael Kugelman,
Time,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettle. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unsettle
verb
un·set·tle
ˌən-ˈset-ᵊl
ˈən-
1
: to move or loosen from a settled state
2
: to make uneasy
change unsettles him
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