unsettling
adjective
un·set·tling
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ,
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ
: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing
unsettling images of the war
Examples of unsettling in a Sentence
unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region
had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, there’s an unsettling calm, an attunement to the fragile truce between humankind and the capricious planet that nourishes it.
—
Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
As unsettling events ripple through the town, Henry begins to grapple with the frightening possibility that he may be connected to the darkness taking hold.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
This spectacle, while sleazy and unsettling, was hardly a departure from the status quo.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Using Color to Stir Emotion Much of Brontë's original text is unsettling, with the reader never quite knowing what our erratic characters will do next and what will be the consequences of their actions.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
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Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
As unsettling events ripple through the town, Henry begins to grapple with the frightening possibility that he may be connected to the darkness taking hold.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
This spectacle, while sleazy and unsettling, was hardly a departure from the status quo.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Using Color to Stir Emotion Much of Brontë's original text is unsettling, with the reader never quite knowing what our erratic characters will do next and what will be the consequences of their actions.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettling. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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