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
Measles Returned Measles — officially eliminated in the United States since 2000 — staged a disturbing comeback this year.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Dec. 2025
On its screen was a terribly disturbing post on X containing two images.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Investigators say the charges stem from a disturbing discovery inside a home on the 1900 block of Britt Drive months ago.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
For Australia, a country separated by sea from horrors unfolding elsewhere, the Bondi attacks has delivered a disturbing reminder that no country is safe from hate.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Dec. 2025
On its screen was a terribly disturbing post on X containing two images.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Investigators say the charges stem from a disturbing discovery inside a home on the 1900 block of Britt Drive months ago.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
For Australia, a country separated by sea from horrors unfolding elsewhere, the Bondi attacks has delivered a disturbing reminder that no country is safe from hate.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 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 27 Dec. 2025.
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