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
The family, unconvinced the death was accidental, enlists a paranormal investigator who uncovers something far more disturbing than a conventional crime.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 May 2026
Prior to 2015, that ad would have struck almost everyone as unthinkably crass and disturbing.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 May 2026
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 May 2026
Prior to 2015, that ad would have struck almost everyone as unthinkably crass and disturbing.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 May 2026
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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