as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
the discomfiting scrutiny of an audience of music critics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
constant interruptions discomfited her in her attempt to finish the speech, and she finally gave up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confusing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
he was discomfited by the awkward situation of having his ex-girlfriend meet his current one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discomfiting
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
15 May 2026
And sometimes that gaze is just discomfiting, full stop.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Here, the sado-sensual yearning of the Confederacy to instantiate itself through the fetishes and reliquaries of figurative sculpture is shown as hollow, impotent, all too discomfiting, and very real.
—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Digitally tweaked to fit the syncopated rhythm and stay on key, Weir’s vocals have a discomfiting quality that’s almost certainly unintentional—especially considering how often the beauty of the Dead lied in their very human imperfections.
—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
The uptick in concern about taste is both surprising and discomfiting, because the word comes with particular generational baggage.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
Macfadyen especially allows Guiteau to walk a challenging tightrope, discomfiting and intensely unlikable but never exactly unmoored from reality, never too far gone into easy, inhuman evil.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
The experience was deeply discomfiting for Burt.
—
Sarah Weinman,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
More generally, Europeans' personal happiness levels have seemingly gravitated away from church and children, the traditional sources of meaning, and toward a discomfiting positive correlation with the size of a nation's welfare state.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Josh O’Connor and Emily Blunt are his overwhelmed disciples, imbued with discomfiting powers that could be key to making contact with these otherworldly guests.
—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
10 June 2026
The sheer amount of information is discomfiting, and that’s the point.
—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
Scenes are rendered with an diorama-esque economy of mise en scene that feels unreal, almost game-like — an aesthetic met with meaning in the film’s final act — and Nagahisa and Takeda take every opportunity to present the city from a different, often discomfiting angle.
—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
The material can be discomfiting to take in, but Ronan anchors Maria’s every move in the character’s stubborn belief that her actions are well intentioned.
—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Plotting a linear, sinking trajectory, Kreutzer’s discomfiting film describes no such buoyant highs and lows.
—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
15 May 2026
And sometimes that gaze is just discomfiting, full stop.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Here, the sado-sensual yearning of the Confederacy to instantiate itself through the fetishes and reliquaries of figurative sculpture is shown as hollow, impotent, all too discomfiting, and very real.
—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Digitally tweaked to fit the syncopated rhythm and stay on key, Weir’s vocals have a discomfiting quality that’s almost certainly unintentional—especially considering how often the beauty of the Dead lied in their very human imperfections.
—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
The uptick in concern about taste is both surprising and discomfiting, because the word comes with particular generational baggage.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
Macfadyen especially allows Guiteau to walk a challenging tightrope, discomfiting and intensely unlikable but never exactly unmoored from reality, never too far gone into easy, inhuman evil.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
The experience was deeply discomfiting for Burt.
—
Sarah Weinman,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
More generally, Europeans' personal happiness levels have seemingly gravitated away from church and children, the traditional sources of meaning, and toward a discomfiting positive correlation with the size of a nation's welfare state.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
His views, possibly as discomfiting for some in his party as his internet history, seem almost optimized for social media virality.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Josh O’Connor and Emily Blunt are his overwhelmed disciples, imbued with discomfiting powers that could be key to making contact with these otherworldly guests.
—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
10 June 2026
The sheer amount of information is discomfiting, and that’s the point.
—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
Scenes are rendered with an diorama-esque economy of mise en scene that feels unreal, almost game-like — an aesthetic met with meaning in the film’s final act — and Nagahisa and Takeda take every opportunity to present the city from a different, often discomfiting angle.
—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
The material can be discomfiting to take in, but Ronan anchors Maria’s every move in the character’s stubborn belief that her actions are well intentioned.
—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discomfiting
Adjective
-
But goals from Harry Kane in the 75th and 86th minutes saved England from an embarrassing early exit.
-
America is better when Paul Skenes is embarrassing hitters with Livvy in the stands pounding Miller Lites.
Verb
-
But Algo’s hyper-logical, computerised process of consistently picking the favourites to win was undone in the second match of the day, with Ghana frustrating England in a 0-0 draw.
-
The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.
Verb
-
Why People Misunderstand This Intelligence The first mistake people make is confusing integrative intelligence with being broadly knowledgeable.
-
Having said that, conversations might be confusing today.
Adjective
-
Runcie is sharply attuned to the vast uncomfortable grey areas of gender and power relations, navigating them with wry, revelatory observations that are devastatingly acute.
-
That observation carries an uncomfortable implication for executives.
Verb
-
The Illinois numbers, especially this year’s, are baffling experts.
-
For more than four minutes Darnold drove downfield, connecting on three of four passes, baffling the pass rushers, bleeding the clock, and by the time the Seahawks finally gave the ball back, the Rams had only 25 seconds to live.
Verb
-
This imbalance is perhaps not expressly disconcerting much of the time.
-
There was also some disconcerting history to consider.
Adjective
-
Human bodies were like animals’ The few medical instruments of the revolutionary era were heavy in the hand, awkward in use and imprecise to maneuver.
-
In its place are itty-bitty bands that still keep your flats or heels in place, just with less of a chance of awkward tan lines.
Verb
-
Critics argue that the approach risks hampering Europe’s competitiveness.
-
The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
Cite this Entry
“Discomfiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfiting. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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