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
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
These narrative episodes are well-cast and discomfiting, if not entirely convincing.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
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
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
These narrative episodes are well-cast and discomfiting, if not entirely convincing.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
-
The mistake was embarrassing, but the use of the technology wasn’t.—
Max Raskin,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
-
The trial laid bare some of Silicon Valley's messy inner workings, with emails, diary entries and sometimes embarrassing text message exchanges shown as evidence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
Clients hiring us for AI narrative work are under investor pressure to move fast, and the cost of confusing speed with substance will show up on their balance sheets.—
Kathleen Lucente,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, as Zohran Mamdani gained steam in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary, Jeffries found himself in an increasingly uncomfortable position.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The uncomfortable truth is that in most organizations, nobody has a clear answer.—
Shiv Kaushik,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The slow starts are baffling to Becht.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
As the castle’s internal order collapses under the weight of a string of baffling crimes, Araki strikes a fragile alliance with Kuroda Kanbei – a razor-minded captive languishing in his own dungeon – in a race to root out a traitor before Oda’s army closes in.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There was also some disconcerting history to consider.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a lot of disconcerting news about AI in journalism lately.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After her death, Riley read her diaries, an awkward experience at times.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
On-screen, Armitage’s portrayal of the socially awkward Sheldon has earned him critical acclaim.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Snakes become entangled in the traps, hampering movement.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
18 May 2026
-
Further hampering communication is the high level of turnover in the top ranks of BSO personnel who work at the airport.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discomfiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfiting. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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