ˌən-ˈset-liŋ
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Archaeologist Eric Cline has spent his career forensically reconstructing why, and the answer is far stranger and more unsettling than a single catastrophic event.
—Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026
While a complete withdrawal from the GNU may be unlikely, the resurgence of internal debate alone risks unsettling a government whose stability rests, in part, on the DA’s role as a moderating force.
—Sam Mkokeli, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Adjective
And the prospect of everyone sort of accepting the loss of half a season or more is particularly unsettling, given how much baseball stands to lose in the wake of a lengthy power outage.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Archaeologist Eric Cline has spent his career forensically reconstructing why, and the answer is far stranger and more unsettling than a single catastrophic event.
—Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Human remains discovered along remote roads in Monterey County over the past month have triggered multiple investigations, unsettling residents and leaving authorities with more questions than answers.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026
While a complete withdrawal from the GNU may be unlikely, the resurgence of internal debate alone risks unsettling a government whose stability rests, in part, on the DA’s role as a moderating force.
—Sam Mkokeli, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
-
The Drama stars Robert Pattinson and Zendaya as Charlie and Emma, a young couple whose lives and upcoming wedding are thrown into disarray when the latter drunkenly reveals a disturbing secret from her past.—
Mike Miller,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The details her 10-year-old daughter provided were disturbing for any parent to hear.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That neighbor also raised concerns about security, saying fewer on-site resources and changes in how calls are handled have left some people feeling uneasy.—
Daniel Wilkerson,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
As the war in Iran stretches into a fifth week, investors who had been hopeful for a quick resolution are growing increasingly uneasy about the real-world fallout from the conflict.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
There, an old Tibetan man (Tsewang Migyur Khangsar) requests a Tibetan doctor to tend to his ever more troubling ailments.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Diehard fans banged bass drums, songs emanated from the supporters’ wall and a packed stadium of 7,211 buzzed all the way through stoppage time of a tense game.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
-
African American Language also tends to have nuance in its tense structure, incorporating modifiers and unique contractions.—
Moriah Humiston,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Not all Mauss’s material lends equally well to visualizations, and there are moments in the special when the animations are more distracting than additive.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The combination with the neutral dark-blue jean skirt keeps the look still feeling grown-up and not too distracting.—
Jana Ackermann,
Glamour,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel each day, disrupting the lives of millions of anxious and exhausted voters.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Investors have grown more anxious about inflation, with Treasury yields rising and consumer surveys showing short‑term price expectations drifting upward.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
