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

disturbingly

di-ˈstər-biŋ-lē 

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

Synonyms

• annoying
• frustrating
• irritating

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

Content moderators are workers who remove disturbing content from social media—data which is often then used to train AI systems like ChatGPT or Facebook’s algorithms. —Billy Perrigo, Time, 19 June 2025

That still wasn’t as disturbing as the sight of Solène washing her feet in the crew mess sink. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 June 2025

These stories reveal a disturbing truth: AI can automate and amplify existing biases, leading to real-world injustice. —Sajal Singh, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility. —Mandy Taheri peter Aitken hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disturbing

• perturbing
• curbing