unsettling

adjective

un·​set·​tling

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ 

: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing

unsettling images of the war

unsettlingly

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ-lē, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ- 

adverb

Synonyms of unsettling

• disturbing
• troubling
• frightening

Examples of unsettling in a Sentence

unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region

had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father

Recent Examples on the Web

The image could be a still from a film about an alien invasion, although the ominous light almost makes the figures seem like cinemagoers transfixed by something unsettling playing out onscreen. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026

The Houthi threat is so unsettling to oil markets because millions of barrels per day pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait to reach global markets. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 23 July 2026

While change can be unsettling, the new codes were designed with the intention of creating a transparent system where both patients and clinicians can thrive. — Camille A. Clare, STAT, 23 July 2026

Their snobbery is juxtaposed with Carney’s friend and colleague Pepper’s unsettling bluntness and eyeball to eyeball stare. — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsettling

• settling
• resettling