disquiet

verb

dis·​qui·​et (ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ət 

disquieted; disquieting; disquiets

transitive verb

: to take away the peace or tranquility of : disturb, alarm

were disquieted by recent events

disquieting adjective

disquietingly

(ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ə-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of disquiet

• concern
• alarm
• worry
• disturb
• anger
• bother
• distract
• distress
• unsettle
• discomfort
• upset
• agitate
• dismay

Choose the Right Synonym for disquiet

discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, agitate, upset, fluster mean to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action.

discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

Examples of disquiet in a Sentence

we were disquieted by the strange noises we heard outside our tent at night

Recent Examples on the Web

In a powerful and disquieting GQ profile, the band and some immediate friends and family unraveled the struggles that have plagued their lucrative but life-altering reunion, a kind of cautionary tale for leveling up after settling down. —Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026

The author calculated the shock wave’s energy that would be deposited in a human body by using physics similar to that of a bullet impact, which, though disquieting to say the least, is not a bad assumption from a scientific standpoint. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026

The impersonations were disquieting. —Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2026

Her images of ice blocks, lush fabrics, cherries, sea animals, and charred hearts are disquieting in the best way and well worth trekking to Santa Monica to witness in person. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disquiet

• unquiet
• diet
• guyot
• piet
• quiet
• riot

Kids Definition

disquiet

1 of 2 verb

dis·​qui·​et (ˈ)dis-ˈkwī-ət 

: to make uneasy or restless : disturb

disquietingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb

disquiet

2 of 2 noun

: an uneasy feeling