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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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettling
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 18 Apr. 2025
When his glistening herb-mint facial mask peels off, his real mask slips, revealing his unsettling stare.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
Even when purporting to tell his own story, Cronenberg cannot help but leave us with something more expansively unsettling.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
Some are terrifying, many unsettling, but most are at the very least provocative.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Adjective
The short story already is relentlessly dour, but watching, listening, and playing through AM's digital hell is far more unsettling than reading about it.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 18 Apr. 2025
When his glistening herb-mint facial mask peels off, his real mask slips, revealing his unsettling stare.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
Even when purporting to tell his own story, Cronenberg cannot help but leave us with something more expansively unsettling.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
Some are terrifying, many unsettling, but most are at the very least provocative.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
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Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
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In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Consumer sentiment and expectations Americans are feeling uneasy about the economy, and that is showing up in the data.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Still, Ruark is increasingly uneasy about the future.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Moreover, recent signals that polluters are seeking exemptions to anti-pollution regulations indicate troubling times ahead for public health.—
Henna Hundal,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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It’s also led to a troubling statistic from the Maple Leafs, whose offence and power play have been such a hallmark in recent years.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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In a tense Monday-night matchup in San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 109-106 to take a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.—
Anthony Slater,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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At one point, he's shown punching a wooden door, and his relationship with girlfriend Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt, seems tense.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
29 Apr. 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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After the frightening threat, the man suddenly ran off in an unknown direction.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2025
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Serena Joy Waterford is among the most frightening, dead-hearted women ever written for the small screen.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Professionally, Xavier is anxious about future tax exposure from his deferred compensation.—
Brian Lasher,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Another reason people put off going to bed is to avoid feeling anxious or restless, said James Rowley, MD, a sleep medicine expert at Rush University Medical Center and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
30 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
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