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
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
Nevertheless, Marc Watkins, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Mississippi, fears that Anthropic's findings signal a disturbing trend.
—Lee V. Gaines, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Beneath its polished image, the academy hides disturbing practices, using hallucinogens and psychological conditioning to strip students of their trauma — and often, their very sense of self.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Kacie McIntosh just gave a disturbing masterclass in gaslighting, since Patrick Suzuki doesn't even know he got dumped.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
The following story contains details, descriptions and/or images of violence that may be disturbing to some readers.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Lee V. Gaines, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Beneath its polished image, the academy hides disturbing practices, using hallucinogens and psychological conditioning to strip students of their trauma — and often, their very sense of self.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Kacie McIntosh just gave a disturbing masterclass in gaslighting, since Patrick Suzuki doesn't even know he got dumped.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
The following story contains details, descriptions and/or images of violence that may be disturbing to some readers.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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