disturbing
adjective
dis·turb·ing
di-ˈstər-biŋ 
: causing feelings of worry, concern, or anxiety
disturbing news
a disturbing discovery
The next phase in which I had a part was even more disturbing, and infinitely more painful.—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
disturbingly
adverb
disturbingly high levels of pollution
a disturbingly familiar problem
… the texture of ordinary life and talk has taken on a disturbingly ambiguous quality …
—Jonathan Raban
Jonathan Raban
Synonyms
Examples of disturbing in a Sentence
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement The disturbing new after-school special that parents of teenagers need to see: For years, anecdotal evidence and scholarly research have shown the dangers social media can hold for kids and teens.
—Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Describing 2019’s Joker as a breath of fresh air somehow seems wrong considering its disturbing air, but in a world where superhero movies are starting to blur into one another, director’s Todd Phillips take on the origins story of the Crown Prince of Crime was engrossing different.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Just a few weeks later, in April 1962, the FDA received a disturbing phone call.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2024
Laura, in particular, loves to hunt and has an impressive rifle collection, even if Alex finds it a bit disturbing.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disturbing 
Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Describing 2019’s Joker as a breath of fresh air somehow seems wrong considering its disturbing air, but in a world where superhero movies are starting to blur into one another, director’s Todd Phillips take on the origins story of the Crown Prince of Crime was engrossing different.
—Benny Har-Even, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Just a few weeks later, in April 1962, the FDA received a disturbing phone call.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2024
Laura, in particular, loves to hunt and has an impressive rifle collection, even if Alex finds it a bit disturbing.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disturbing
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disturbing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
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