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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettling
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
When prompted to yawn, the unsettling face would peel open its lips, briefly shut its eyes for several seconds, and then return to its neutral position.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
The potential for South Korea to be plunged into yet another constitutional crisis is deeply unsettling for a nation longing for a return to stability and the addressing of pocketbook issues.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
Anthropic activated new safety measures this month with the rollout of Claude Opus 4 when its tests found behavior from the model that some observers found particularly unsettling.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Adjective
His first feature-length effort was Eraserhead, a black-and-white film from 1977 about a new father and his unsettling E.T.-like baby.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
When prompted to yawn, the unsettling face would peel open its lips, briefly shut its eyes for several seconds, and then return to its neutral position.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
The potential for South Korea to be plunged into yet another constitutional crisis is deeply unsettling for a nation longing for a return to stability and the addressing of pocketbook issues.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
Anthropic activated new safety measures this month with the rollout of Claude Opus 4 when its tests found behavior from the model that some observers found particularly unsettling.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
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The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
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His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Some are bigger than others: economic uncertainty, changing customer behaviors, personal isolation, leadership burnout, marketing crisis, brand reputation, uneasy board members, investor expectations, consumer confidence, health issues and family challenges.—
Nancy Padberg,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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But Musk’s rebuke has energized fiscal hawks in the Senate who were already uneasy with the legislation’s scope.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Most troubling is a lack of true concern or remedies for a huge problem for America, our national debt, and the service on that $36 trillion debt, which amounts to almost a trillion dollars a year.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
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Furthermore, the occurrence is arguably even more troubling since newer vehicles have become so reliant on software for driving features.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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But recently, her videos detailing her tense, hours-long encounter with Customs at MIA went viral.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
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While the two countries have announced a temporary truce that rolled back the three-digit tariffs for 90 days, relations remain tense with ongoing feuding over chip restrictions imposed by the US.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Occupying and distracting the mind.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The frightening incident unfolded aboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas cruise ship on June 8.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
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How to check food labels for allergies Howard's story is frightening and not entirely uncommon.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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On Tires, Gerben plays Will, the anxious and unqualified son of the auto-repair chain's owner.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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As a result, children can become frustrated and anxious when trying to learn math.—
Jennifer Pierce,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
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Bitcoin has dropping back from its all-time high of over $100,000 in the last week as BlackRock quietly confirmed a worrying bitcoin bombshell.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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